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Greensboro Grasshoppers

Cousins Helps Hoppers Extend Streak To Six In Row

July 24, 2007 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Greensboro Grasshoppers News Release


GREENSBORO, N.C. - There's one tangible benefit for the Greensboro Grasshoppers as the result of a six-game winning streak.

"No post-game meetings," said Hoppers outfielder Scott Cousins. "He (manager Edwin Rodriguez) just says 'shower up and keep the streak going.'"

Cousins played an integral part with three RBIs during a 4-3 win over the Lakewood BlueClaws Tuesday afternoon before 5,251 fans at First Horizon Park.

The Hoppers' sixth straight win set a season high and improved their record to 14-19 in the second half of the South Atlantic League season. It was the first four-game sweep at home this season and a rare afternoon home victory, only their second in eight games. Greensboro is 10-2 against Lakewood this season.

Cousins has quietly raised his averaged to .287 and increased his RBIs to 44. His first RBI came in the third inning. After fouling off several tough pitches from Lakewood starter Antonio Bastardo, Cousins singled to center field to score James Guerrero.

In the seventh inning, with the Hoppers down 3-2, Cousins got down 0-and-2 to reliever Garet Hill, worked the count to 3-and-2, fouled off one pitch and then smacked a two-run homer over the right field fence for the winning runs.

"I've been concentrating on having a good two-strike approach and putting the ball in play," Cousins said. "I try to stay hard through the middle and every once in awhile I get the barrel of the bat on the ball. Today it happened to go out of the park."

Cousins said he hit a slider for his 10th home run of the season.

"They got me out on a 3-and-2 slider (Monday)," he said, "so it helped that I had seen that pitch before. It was the first one he threw me after fastballs and changeups."

Hitting coach Anthony Iapoce said Cousins has raised his average more than 60 points in about six weeks because of more patience at the plate and seeing more pitches.

"He's battling with two strikes," Iapoce said, "staying in there, getting a piece of the ball. He doesn't have to get a hit, but the idea is to make the pitcher throw another pitch."

Logan Morrison provided the Hoppers' other RBI with a bases-loaded sacrifice fly in the sixth inning. That scored Cousins, who had led off with a bunt single.

For the third time in the series, the BlueClaws out-hit the Hoppers and had nothing to show for it. Three Greensboro pitchers scattered 12 hits Tuesday, with Don Czyz (3-4) getting the win after allowing one run in three innings of relief. Czyz gave up a bunt single to start the eighth inning, then struck out the next three hitters.

Blake Jones recorded his second straight save and 17th overall.

Two defensive plays stood out for Greensboro. In the sixth, after a ball got past third baseman Jake Blackwood for an error, Felix Hernandez reached second and tried to make third. But the relay from John Raynor to Blackwood nailed Hernandez.

In the ninth inning, after Herman Demmink led off with a single, Jay Miller popped up a bunt. First baseman Morrison made a diving catch just off the ground, then from the seat of his pants flipped to second baseman James Guerrero covering first to double off Demmink.

The Hoppers continue their home stand with a four-game series against the Delmarva Shorebirds. The first game is Wednesday at 7 p.m. at First Horizon.

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