Burgers Take Game 1 in Greenville

After salvaging the finale of the series with Greensboro on Sunday with an impressive 7-3 victory, the Spartanburgers hit I-85 on Tuesday for the first game of the third round of the rivalry with the Greenville Drive of the season.

Ismael Agreda took to the bump opposite righty Kyson Witherspoon, looking to build on the success he had in his last start at Fluor Field back on May 2nd, where he went 4 and a third innings with two runs on six hits, two walks, and five strikeouts in a no-decision.

Both sides squandered a scoring chance in the first inning. Casey Cook led off with a single to right and advanced on a two out base hit from Luke Hanson, but they were left on when Antonis Macias popped up to second. In the home half, center fielder Enddy Azocar started with a single and went first to third when right fielder Justin Gonzales followed with a knock. But, Agreda was able to leave them on the corners with back to back strikeouts and a pop up to second.

After Witherspoon turned in a three up three down frame in the top of the second, the Drive took the lead in the bottom half thanks to a leadoff double from left fielder Isaiah Jackson. With two down, third baseman Antonio Anderson singled up the middle, giving Greenville a 1-0 edge heading to the third.

The Burgers answered right away, working the bases loaded with one out. Chandler Pollard led off with a base knock. Casey Cook was beaned on a full count and Gleider Figuereo later drew a walk. That was followed by an RBI single from Hanson and a wild pitch later plated Cook to give Hub City a 2-1 lead through two and a half innings.

Agreda went on to outlast Witherspoon, going four and two-thirds. He exited after a two out walk to Gonzales, giving way to Luke Savage who despite a stolen base was able to get Agreda off the hook with a comebacker from shortstop Yoeilin Cespedes. Agreda surrendered just one earned run on four hits with two walks and five strikeouts.

After two more clean frames from Savage, the latter of which he struck out the side in, the Spartanburgers got some big insurance. Hanson picked up his third hit of the night, leading off the top of the eighth with a single. Macias then mashed a 427 foot homer over the fence below the scoreboard in right.

Marcos Torres kept the line moving with a triple to dead center, later scoring on a fielder’s choice in which Arturo De Freitas grounded to short with the infield in. The throw went home, but was wide for an error, allowing De Freitas to take second. Ultimately, he was left in scoring position when Cook was rung up to retire the side. However, the Burgers held a 5-1 advantage heading to the bottom half.

Greenville mounted a threat on Owen Proksch in the frame. After a strikeout to start, Gonzales singled. Catcher Luke Heyman later notched a base hit with two out that was followed by another knock from designated hitter Gerardo Rodriguez to load the bases. But, Proksch bookended the inning with a strikeout of Jackson to kill the momentum.

After the Burgers left two in scoring position in the top of the ninth, Proksch labored a bit in the ensuing half. First baseman Ronnie Hernandez singled with one down and Azocar was hit by a pitch with two out. Gonzales came to the dish with the tying run in the on deck circle, which prompted Carlos Maldonado to make a call to the bullpen for Kai Wynyard. In the end, a dramatic at bat with a full count came to an anticlimactic end as Gonzales grounded to third to end the game.

With the 5-1 victory — Hub City’s second straight, the Burgers take an 8-5 lead in the season series. Game two is set for 6:45 Wednesday night as AJ Russell (1-1, 2.92 ERA) faces right hander Alex Bouchard (1-3, 5.60).