History Made in Hub City

The City of Spartanburg is no stranger to postseason baseball. Particularly at the Minor League level. Back when Duncan Park Stadium was brand new, it played host to game 5 of the 1936 American Legion World Series, where Spartanburg’s squad defeated the team from Los Angeles to clinch the title before a crowd of over 20,000 fans. Two years later, the stadium hosted the entirety of the Legion World Series.

At the Minor League level, the Phillies made the playoffs nine times — 1966, 1967, 1968, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1979, 1980, 1988, and 1992. Of those appearances, six resulted in league titles. Five of those were won as members of the Western Carolina League. In 1988, they won their lone South Atlantic League championship in three postseason appearances as a member.

It has been since 1992 – the last time the Spartanburg Phillies made the SAL postseason just 4 years before they left town prior to the 1996 season, leaving the city without affiliated Minor League Baseball for 30 years, that lovers of the game have been able to experience the excitement and atmosphere of a playoff game. But on Tuesday September 9th, 2025, the years of waiting and the reward of a long but successful inaugural regular season came to fruition as the Spartanburgers welcomed the South division champion (for both halves of the season) Bowling Green Hot Rods to Fifth Third Park for game one of a best-of-three SAL South Divisional Series.

Dylan MacLean took to the bump for the historic occasion going opposite Bowling Green’s Marcus Johnson. Both arms dueled through the pressure and energy of a postseason game. MacLean came out dealing, throwing just 14 pitches in the top of the 1st with a strikeout to cap a three up three down frame. He retired 2 more on strikes in the next inning, once again efficiently working a clean frame. MacLean would not surrender a base runner until the 3rd, when Hunter Haas singled with 1 out, later stealing 2nd. But, Dylan left him there by getting back to back fly ball outs to retire the side.

Dylan finally ran into trouble he could not escape in the 4th after Aidan Smith led off with a double. With 2 out, Angel Mateo singled to plate the game’s first run and Blake Robertson drew a walk to follow it, but a fly ball to the track in right quelled the threat.

On the flipside, Hub City had a chance to crack the goose egg very early after Antonis Macias, who was batting leadoff, singled on the infield and advanced to 2nd on a throwing error after the 2nd baseman threw it into the dugout railing. He advanced another 90 feet on a ground ball to short off the bat of Dylan Dreiling. But, after Malcolm Moore struck out swinging and Ben Hartl flew out to left, the Burgers were kept off the scoreboard.

There was more traffic on the base paths for Marcus Johnson in the 2nd when Casey Cook was beaned with 1 away. With two down, John Taylor singled to put another runner in scoring position. But, Luke Hanson grounded to third, and Taylor was forced at 2nd on what would be a 5-4 fielder’s choice to end the inning.

Dylan MacLean departed after 4 innings of 1 run ball, having struck out 4, walked 1, and given up 3 hits. He gave way to Aidan Curry, and after a drama-free fifth with a pair of strikeouts along the way, Hub City found some offense.

Gleider Figuereo lined the first pitch he saw into right field and the right fielder gambled with a diving attempt at it, but he missed and the ball went to the corner for a leadoff triple. Not long after John Taylor made them pay for the bad defense with a game-tying RBI single. Luke Hanson then reached on a fielding error on the first baseman that put runners on the corners for Macias – who lifted a fly ball deep to left for a sacrifice fly, scoring Taylor for the go-ahead run. Hanson later swiped 2nd, but was left on as both Dylan Dreiling and Malcolm Moore flew out to end the inning with the Burgers in front 2-1.

Aidan Curry’s 2nd inning of work was not without drama, sandwiching a single in between a pair of walks to load the bases with 2 out, but he got Daniel Vellojin to hit a comebacker to get out of the jam. He would work one more scoreless frame, retiring the Hot Rods in order to preserve the lead.

Hub City was held in check at the plate thanks to Trevor Harrison, who like Curry, is a starter that was being used out of the bullpen. He retired each of his first 6 hitters to keep Bowling Green within striking distance, and they almost did strike back in the 8th after Victor Simeon came in to start the frame.

Victor got the first two batters he faced with the ease we come to expect of him as of late. But then Nathan Flewelling worked a walk on a questionable check swing. Angel Mateo also drew a walk on a full count to put 2 on. He got into a 3-0 count to Blake Robertson before coming all the way back with a clutch strikeout to retire the side.

Hub City finally got some contact off of Harrison’s fastball in the bottom of the 8th. Macias worked a leadoff walk and with one down, Malcolm Moore singled to put men on 1st and third. After Ben Hartl was rung up for the 2nd out, Maxton Martin added some insurance with a run-scoring single, making for a 3-1 lead heading to the 9th.

Adrian Rodriguez came on to try and get the save and struck out the side, placing Hub City a win away from a spot in the South Atlantic League championship series. They will travel up to Kentucky tomorrow and game 2 will be at 7:35 Eastern time as Rangers’ top pitching prospect and #8 overall Caden Scarborough will make the start opposite a Hot Rod arm yet to be named. If they can’t win game two, they will get a second crack at it Friday night in Kentucky.

The winner of that series will move on to face either Brooklyn or Greensboro in the best of 3 league championship series starting Sunday at whoever wins the North. Game two and the if-needed game 3 of that series will be at the south division champion on Tuesday and Wednesday, meaning fans might get at least 1 more chance to soak it all in and experience history in downtown Spartanburg.