Burgers Fall on Friday to Drive

Looking to both clinch the season series and stretch the win streak to three, Hub City sent Caden Scarborough (1-4, 3.18 ERA) to battle against Greenville left hander Jason Gilman (0-1, 5.40).

It was a fantastic pitcher’s duel between them through the first three and a half innings. Scarborough pitched to contact effectively, retiring each of the first 12 hitters he faced.

On the other side, Gilman was generating a lot of awkward swings and misses to the tune of six strikeouts in the first three innings. Hub City mustered just two base runners in that stretch — a Gleider Figuereo double in the bottom of the second and a two out walk to Paxton Kling in the third. In both instances, they were left in scoring position.

The Burgers broke through in the bottom of the fourth after a leadoff base on balls to Luke Hanson. Figuereo followed it with a double to the right field corner and Maxton Martin lined to right to plate Hanson. Figuereo tagged up on the play, which set up an RBI grounder to third from Quincy Scott II. Antonis Macias singled to keep the line moving, but Esteban Mejia was rung up to end the inning with a 2-0 lead.

Unfortunately, as good as Caden Scarborough was through the first four, the fifth completely unraveled on him. The Drive sent 11 to the dish, collecting seven hits, and hanging an 8-spot capped by a monster two-run shot from Isaiah Jackson that went over the video board. Scarborough was pulled after it, giving way to Cole Roland, who was able to stop the bleeding with a strikeout of Ronny Hernandez.

Luis Cohen held Hub City off the scoreboard for another two innings, striking out four of the six he faced. The Burgers were given a run in the bottom of the seventh after a two out base knock from Mejia, who later advanced on a passed ball. Arturo De Freitas then grounded to short. The throw went into the Hub City dugout for a run-scoring two-base error.

That would end up being all the offense for either side the rest of the way as Roland finished off three and a third shutout innings with six strikeouts, no walks, and no hits. Wily Villar made his debut in the ninth, striking out two in a three up three down frame.

In the end, the Spartanburgers were retired in order the last two innings, falling 8-3. The series rolls on Saturday at 4:35 as a pitcher to be determined goes against left hander Dylan Brown (3-7, 4.25).