Burgers Clinch Series With Tourists

The Spartanburgers (19-17) took what can only be described as a massive punch to the gut early last night from which they never could recover. Asheville (9-28 entering Saturday) hung crooked numbers in four of the first 5 innings, jumping out to a 23-1 lead with 24 hits on the night. The Burgers responded with 5-spots in both the eighth and ninth innings, but of course the deficit was just too large to overcome.

Saturday, with another shot to clinch the series win, Ismael Agreda (0-2, 5.33 ERA) went to the bump opposite Asheville right hander Dylan Howard (0-0, 7.82) in front of a sellout crowd at the newly-renovated HomeTrust Park.

Hub City cracked the scoreboard first in Déjà vu fashion to Friday night, scoring 1 run in the top of the 1st. This time, it was on a 2 out solo shot out of right center from Malcolm Moore.

Also in near Déjà vu fashion, Asheville responded by taking the lead. After a leadoff single from 2nd baseman Kyle Walker, Agreda struck out DH Jason Schiavone. But, then surrendered back to back walks to Center Fielder Ethan Frey and First Baseman Drew Brutcher to load the bases. Left fielder Alejandro Nunez capitalized by following with a 2 run single, later to be caught stealing for the 2nd out. The Tourists would go on to leave 2 runners, but took a 2-1 lead to the second inning.

Hub City punched back in the ensuing half inning when Gleider Figuereo blooped a double inside the left field line and took third on a balk. With one out, Quincy Scott grounded a single that hopped on the 3rd baseman, who was down in a slide to tie the game. Theo Hardy would then put the Burgers back in front with an RBI triple off the left field fence at the home bullpen, scoring Scott from first. Later on, a second balk plated Hardy, making for a 4-2 edge heading to the bottom of the 2nd.

Agreda settled in over the next two innings with a three up three down 2nd and stranding a two out double from Brutcher in the 3rd. In the top of the fourth, the Burgers added on when Figuereo led off with a towering fly ball over the monster in right for a solo shot, stretching the lead to 5-2.

After stranding a 2 out walk to catcher Keduar Trujillo in the bottom of the 4th, another solo shot, this one over the monster in right from Kling made it 6-2 through heading to the bottom of the fifth.

Agreda exited after 4 complete, having surrendered just 2 earned on 3 hits and having struck out 6 with 4 walks, giving way to Kai Wynyard, who was effective through 2 more shutout innings.

Hub City added 1 more in the 6th, cashing in a leadoff walk to Yeison Morrobel. With one down, Theo Hardy singled through the 6 hole. He was later forced 6-4 for the 2nd out on a fielder’s choice off the bat of Luke Hanson. The throw from the 2nd baseman trying to turn two went wild for an error, allowing Hanson to reach and scoring Morrobel and making it 7-2 in favor of the Burgers.

After Wynyard faced the minimum despite a 1 out Zach Daudet double in the home half of the 6th, the Spartanburgers cashed in a leadoff walk to Morrobel in the top of the seventh. Moore followed with a single on which Morrobel went first to third to set up an RBI sacrifice fly to right for Kling. That would be the first of three straight fly ball outs to leave a man stranded, but heading to the stretch, Hub City led 8-2.

Anthony Susac came on to start the bottom of the 7th, immediately getting into some trouble after hitting Trujillo with a pitch, who would later steal 2nd. Third Baseman Reylin Perez drew a walk before Susac got Walker to line to left for the first out. Schiavone launched a 2-bagger to left to plate a pair, but Susac got out of the inning with a fly ball to center and a strikeout with Hub City’s lead briefly trimmed to 8-4 heading to the 8th.

Quincy Scott almost immediately got a run back, mashing the 1-1 pitch high and deep beyond the home bullpen in the left field corner. Hardy followed with a walk, coming home on a 2 out single from Perich. Malcolm Moore followed with another knock, but they were left aboard as Kling lined out to 2nd on a deflection from the pitcher to retire the side with the Burgers in front 10-4.

Susac got 2 outs quickly in the home eighth before right fielder Mason Lytle singled and later swiped 2nd. Trujillo followed with an RBI single on a full count, prompting a call to the bullpen for Joey Danielson who was able to get Perez to whiff to end the inning with the lead at 10-5.

In the bottom of the ninth, Danielson gave up a one out walk to Schiavone, who later was given second on defensive indifference. After Frey struck out, Bruchter also drew a base on balls. But he was forced out on a fielder’s choice 4-6 to end the game, cinching the series with a 10-5 win for the Burgers.

Hub City can go for a 5 win week tomorrow afternoon at 1:05 PM as DJ McCarty (0-2, 6.00 ERA) faces off against righty Nolan DeVos (0-2, 7.04).