A Wild Win for Winston-Salem, 8-7
May 5, 2023 - South Atlantic League (SAL)
Winston-Salem Dash News Release
WINSTON-SALEM, NC - Following a loss this season, the Winston-Salem Dash have always responded in a big way. On Friday night against the Greensboro Grasshoppers, it was no different. Winston-Salem worked deep into at bats, burning through Greensboro's bullpen drawing 10 walks, leading to an 8-7 win at Truist Stadium in front of 7,523 fans.
Early on, the tone was set by Winston-Salem (17-6) starter Kohl Simas who made quick work of the Greensboro (15-10) hitters over the first two innings. The bats came to play in the bottom half.
The offense was jump started by third baseman Wes Kath belting his third long ball of the year to left center putting the Dash up 1-0. Following a walk, Michael Turner doubled putting two runners on for the bases to be loaded after the second walk of the inning. Winston-Salem extended its lead to two on a sacrifice fly, and Simas went back out pitching with a lead.
The righty continued to battle, leaving the bases loaded in the third and setting down the Grasshoppers in order in the fourth. The bottom of the order came up again for Winston-Salem in the fourth and found more success. Ivan Gonzalez and Chris Lanzilli both drove in runs on RBI singles pushing the lead to 4-0.
Simas stayed out for the fifth, but Greensboro finally got a run up on the scoreboard, but that was it against Simas. He finished the night after five innings, allowing only one run and punching out six.
Against the Dash bullpen, the Grasshoppers started to find some success. Greensboro plated two on a two-RBI double from Luis Hernandez, making it 4-3, but the Dash had an answer, thanks to DJ Gladney picking up his league-leading 32nd RBI on a double down the right field line.
Chase Plymell was tabbed with the seventh and eighth and shined facing the minimum, and in the bottom of the eighth, Winston-Salem was looking for more insurance.
With one out, a pair of walks put two on with Gladney at the plate and for the third time this series he reached on a catcher's interference loading the bases. Late in the game for the second night in a row, Wilfred Veras came to bat with the bases loaded and delivered muscling a ball into right center driving in two. The Dash tacked on one more run later on, sending them to the ninth with a five-run cushion, 8-3.
They needed all three of those runs. In the top of the ninth, Greensboro came charging back loading the bases with one out and Jackson Glenn launched a grand slam to the left field berm, cutting the lead to one, but Jake Palisch settled down, retiring the next two, as Winston-Salem held on for an 8-7 win.
Winston-Salem got multi-hit performances from Kath and Lanzilli both driving in a pair of runs, while six different hitters drew walks.
The Dash have secured at least a series split against Greensboro and go for the series win on Saturday. First pitch is set for 7 p.m. from Truist Stadium with the Dash rebranding to the Winston-Salem Hyphens.
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