Following a double header sweep on Thursday night where the Spartanburgers rallied from behind twice with some clutch hits from Carter Garate, Yeison Morrobel, and Rafe Perich, Hub City looked to ride the momentum to at least a split of the series with a third straight victory on Friday night.
J’Briell Easley (0-0, 3.72 ERA) got the nod on the bump to face right hander Isaac Lyon (0-0, 2.08).
Easley had to work around some traffic in the first two innings, surrendering a 1 out single to Ronny Cruz and a walk to Angel Feliz in the 1st. He got out of it when Feliz was caught on a double steal attempt and Ethan Petry flew out to right.
Easley escaped another jam in the top of the 2nd brought on by a 1 out walk to Kevin Bazzell and a 2 out double from Hunter Hines, but he left them both on as Randal Diaz was rung up to retire the side.
Hub City left a few runners on through the first two frames as well. Paxton Kling drew a leadoff walk in the bottom of the 1st and would go all the way to third after consecutive ground ball outs from Arturo Disla and Malcolm Moore, but he would be left there as Maxton Martin grounded back to the pitcher to end the inning.
Easley gave up a leadoff no-doubter to Devin Fitz-Gerald in the top of the third that hit off the back wall of the Hub City bullpen, but rebounded by retiring the next three before the Burgers would squander another opportunity in the home half after Antonis Macias reached on a fielding error charged to the third baseman Fitz-Gerald to start the frame, but was later doubled up on a 6-4-3 twin killing off the bat of Kling.
Easley departed after three innings with 2 strikeouts, 2 walks, 3 hits, and just one earned run. He gave way to Joe Adametz who after working around a leadoff walk and a 1 out single with a pickoff and a pair of strikeouts in the 4th, gave up a leadoff two-bagger to Randal Diaz in the top of the 5th.
With one out, Wilmington cashed it in with an RBI knock from Cruz, and following another 3 up 3 down frame for the Blue Rocks pitching, Bazzell extended the lead with a 1 out solo shot to the berm.
The Burgers finally got the offense going in the bottom of the 6th when Luke Hanson led off with a double that hit off the wall just to the left of the berm on Chaser’s Corner. Kling followed with a single up the middle that put runners on the corners to set up a Disla sacrifice fly to break the goose egg. Following a Malcolm Moore single and a balk, Maxton Martin singled home two to tie the game.
Wilmington struck back in the top of the 8th, cashing in a leadoff walk to Elijah Green. With 1 out, Dorman alum TJ White doubled to give the Blue Rocks the lead, and Hunter Hines followed with an RBI knock. With 2 away, Fitz-Gerald singled, but was later erased on a fielder’s choice to retire the side with Wilmington up 5-3.
Angel Feliz led off the 9th with a solo shot off Anthony Susac to left, upping the ante to 6-3. The Rocks threatened to add on, loading the bases with 2 out on consecutive singles and a walk. But, Susac was able to quell it with a comebacker.
The game would ultimately come to an anticlimactic end as Hub City went down in order in the bottom of the 9th, falling 6-3.
The series continues on Saturday at 4:35 PM as Ismael Agreda (0-2, 5.75) opposes Riley Maddox (1-2, 3.91). The Burgers (15-15) can lock up a split of the series with a win.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login