Burgers Fall in Series Finale with Asheville

After a much-needed come-from-behind victory in Saturday night’s game, Hub City looked to start a streak and build momentum heading back home to Spartanburg for this week’s upcoming series with Bowling Green.

DJ McCarty took the hill opposite Asheville right hander Dylan Howard. Unlike the rest of the series, Hub City was able to get more than one early run of support for their starter. Chandler Pollard started the game with an infield single followed by a walk to Yeison Morrobel. Hector Osorio then delivered an RBI single, scoring Pollard, and advancing two bases on a throwing error charged to the right fielder when his throw to third went into the dugout, scoring Morobel. After Maxton Martin struck out swinging, Antonis Macias added on with a base hit that scored Osorio. Theo Hardy would later ground out to third and Carter Garate flew out to left to leave a man on, but it was 3-0 in favor of the Burgers heading to the home half of the frame.

McCarty faced the minimum in the bottom of the first despite plunking the two-hole hitter Caden Powell with one out thanks to a caught stealing sandwiched between two strikeouts. But, he labored in the second after Hub City stranded a pair in the previous half. Chase Call led off with a solo shot off the face of the video board in left center field. With two away, McCarty’s command went away, issuing back to back walks to Zach Daudet and Alejandro Nunez. But, he got back on track by ringing up catcher Keduar Trujillo to end the inning with Hub City still on top 3-1.

In the top of the third, Maxton Martin got that run back when he launched a 2-1 pitch over the high wall in right center for a leadoff solo shot. Antonis Macias followed with a base on balls, but was later picked off ahead of an unassisted groundout to first from Hardy. Garate kept the inning alive, reaching on a fielding error on the first baseman, but he was left on as Esteban Mejia grounded out to short, sending the game to the bottom of the frame with the Burgers leading 4-1.

McCarty’s lack of command came back to bite after issuing consecutive free passes to Kyle Walker and Caden Powell when Nehomar Ochoa Jr sent a game-tying three run homer over the fence in dead center. DJ rebounded nicely with a looking strikeout of Call, but then walked Jack Moss. Then, a sharp grounder to first from Cesar Hernandez went for a fielder’s choice, forcing Moss at 2nd while Hernandez reached. The inning got even more away when Daudet was beaned and Nunez singled to score Hernandez, putting Asheville in front and ending the day for McCarty. He was replaced by Josh Sanders, who gave up a bloop two run single to Trujillo, adding on to DJ’s line. In the end, the Tourists batted around with the inning finally ending on a Walker fly ball to center in a 7-4 Asheville lead.

The Spartanburgers answered with a two out rally in the next half that started with a walk to Morrobel. Osorio followed it with a knock and Martin loaded the bases with a free pass. Macias came up clutch, lining a single just out of the reach of the second baseman to cut the deficit to one before Hardy grounded to second to retire the side. However, the Tourists struck right back when Powell led off with a single and with one out, Call drew a walk. After a steal of third, Jack Moss lofted an RBI sacrifice fly to center, stretching Asheville’s lead back to two before Hernandez flew out to left to send the game to the fifth, where the Burgers mounted a threat.

With one away, both Mejia and Stark were hit and later advanced on a wild pitch. But, the threat came up idle after Pollard and Morrobel went down on strikes. Asheville mounted a threat of their own after a leadoff base hit from Daudet. He stole both second and third in a matter of three pitches with one out. But, he was left on when Sanders struck out Trujillo and coaxed Walker into a grounder to third, keeping it a two run game going to the sixth inning.

Sanders left the game after the fifth, having gone two and a third with a run on three hits, a walk, and a strikeout. He was replaced by Luke Savage, who gave up a one out double to Ochoa Jr. With two down, Moss drew a walk that was followed by an RBI single from Hernandez. Daudet then reached on a catcher interference to load the bases, but a back pick to third caught Moss leaning for the third out, sending the game to the seventh with the Tourists up 9-6.

Hub City squandered another chance after a one out walk from Mejia followed by a single from Stark. With two away, Yeison Morrobel grounded up the middle deep in the 4-hole for a single, but a wacky rundown ensued when they caught Mejia halfway between third and home. He was ultimately cut down at the plate with a diving tag on the calf after a 4-5-2-7 relay in which every base runner was pursued at one point, keeping it a three run game at the stretch.

The Burgers finally found the scoreboard again in the top of the eighth. After a leadoff infield knock for Osorio, Martin clubbed his second homer of the day – a mammoth shot over the monster in right that landed in the parking lot along the hill behind the trees. A batter later, Hardy drew a walk, but a Garate pop up to short and a 4 unassisted force of Hardy on a fielder’s choice off the bat of Mejia killed any chances to tie, sending the game to the bottom of the eighth with Asheville clinging to a 9-8 lead.

That lead re-inflated off Kai Wynyard after consecutive singles from Ochoa Jr and Call to start the frame. With two out, Daudet lined a double off the right field fence to plate them both. Nunez followed with a walk, but after a steal of third and a wild pitch, Trujillo popped up to third in foul ground to send the game to the last call with Hub City trailing 11-8.

The Burgers loaded the bases on a leadoff hit by pitch to Stark – the third time on the day. Pollard followed with a single, and after back to back strikeouts of Morrobel and Osorio, Martin singled. But, it came to an anticlimactic ending as Macias hit a comebacker to end the game.

Asheville flipped the script of the season by taking 5 of 6 in this series, further showing they are a better team than they were. Now, the Burgers are left to lick their wounds tomorrow and gear up as it doesn’t get any easier with Bowling Green coming to town. Game one is set for Tuesday night at 6:35PM in Fifth Third Park.