After a big series win on the road over the Wilmington Blue Rocks, Hub City (7-7) returned to Fifth Third Park on Tuesday morning to begin a 6-game set with the first place team in the South Atlantic League South Division standings — the Winston-Salem Dash (10-5).
Aidan Curry (1-0, 1.00 ERA) took to the bump opposite a major league arm making a rehab start in right hander David Sandlin.
After getting two quick outs in the top of the 1st, Curry gave up back to back solo home runs — one to third baseman Caleb Bonemer that was hit to the first row of Chaser’s Corner in left and the other off the video board in right center from 2nd baseman Colby Shelton. A fly ball to left retired the side, but the Dash held the upper hand early.
The Burgers had a perfect opportunity to respond in the home half of the frame after back to back 2 out singles from Gleider Figuereo and Arturo Disla as well as a walk to Malcolm Moore. But, Yeison Morrobel grounded to 2nd to leave the sacks full.
Curry walked shortstop Kyle Lodise and catcher Grant Magill back to back with 1 out in the top of the 2nd, but he escaped the inning with a force play and a fly ball to center. On the other hand, Sandlin was given one more inning. He got two quick outs before Luke Hanson reached on a fielding error on the first baseman. He stole 2nd, but was left on as Paxton Kling was rung up to end the inning.
Curry settled in nicely, departing after a 1 out single in the top of the 5th after 4 and a third total, having struck out 5, walked 3, and given up 3 hits. In the interim, across the first 4 innings, the Burgers had no trouble in getting runners on. But, they stranded 6, half of which were left in scoring position.
Curry would be replaced by Seth Clark with one out in the top of the 5th, who in his first appearance of the season, struggled with command. He walked his first man and after an infield fly to 2nd, walked Shelton to load the bases. First baseman Anthony Depino capitalized on it by lining the 1-1 pitch into right for a 2 run base hit, one of which was charged to Curry’s line. Clark struck out right fielder George Wolkow to retire the side, but Hub City’s deficit was doubled to 4-0 as they came to the plate in the bottom of the frame.
The offense went quietly, and Clark came back out to start the 6th. He walked the leadoff man, but bounced back with a fly out to right and a strikeout before issuing another base on balls to center fielder Ely Brown. Mailon Felix came on after that and managed to quell the threat rather unconventionally when the runners were going on a 3-1 pitch to designated hitter Boston Smith. The lead runner tried to score on the throw down to 2nd but was gunned out 2-4-2 to retire the side.
After Felix Houdini’d his way out of a bases loaded 2 out jam in the 8th, Hub City cut the Winston-Salem lead in half on a leadoff solo home run to left — the 2nd of the day for Arturo Disla, marking the first multi homer game for a Spartanburgers hitter in franchise history. The Burgers proceeded to load the bases afterward on a pair of singles and a fielding error charged to the catcher on a bunt popped up by Quincy Scott II. But the threat went idle as after a call to the bullpen, the next three all went down on strikes to leave the sacks full.
Kai Wynyard worked around a leadoff hit batsman with a 4-6-3 double play and a diving snag on a sinking liner to center by Paxton Kling. Hub City would then threaten one more time in the bottom of the 9th, starting a potential rally with a 1 out walk to Gleider Figuereo. Arturo Disla made it a 5 for 5 day at the dish with a knock that was followed by a base hit from Malcolm Moore to put Burgers on the grill for Yeison Morrobel. But it wasn’t meant to be as Morrobel grounded into a game-ending 4-6-3 twin killing to seal the 4-3 victory for Winston-Salem.
Hub City left 11 runners on base in the game — 8 of which were in scoring position. In total, the Spartanburgers were just 2 for 11 on the day with runners in scoring position. That was ultimately the difference.
The series resumes tomorrow night at 6:35 as Enrique Segura (0-0, 4.76 ERA) faces off against a Dash starter yet to be named.
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