Big early inning pushes Drive past Hoppers
Published on July 5, 2006 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Greensboro Grasshoppers News Release
GREENSBORO, N.C. - The presence of one of the most hallowed icons in sports - hockey's Stanley Cup - wasn't enough to help the Greensboro Grasshoppers Wednesday night.
The Greenville Drive scored six times in the second inning and went on to ice the Hoppers 8-3 in First Horizon Park.
Fans wearing Carolina Hurricanes T-shirts, hats and other items of the National Hockey League champions lined up for two hours to look at, pose by and take pictures of the Cup, making a special appearance in Greensboro.
Meanwhile, the baseball game was decided relatively early. The Drive erupted for six runs against Hoppers starter Marc Lamacchia in the top of the second. The big hits were a two-run single by Pedro Vasquez and a two-run homer by Jay Johnson.
Johnson later added his 10th homer of the season, a solo shot, in the ninth inning.
The Hoppers touched up three Drive pitchers for 11 hits and drew six walks but never put together a big inning. They stranded 14 runners on the evening.
Greensboro loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the first but managed only a single run, on a wild pitch.
Andy Jenkins went 3-for-5 for the Hoppers, including his 19th double of the season, and drove in a run. Daniel Batz added two more hits.
Johnson added a single to go with his two homers for Greenville. Tony Granadillo hit his eighth homer+.
Ryan Phillips (1-2) picked up the win, backed up by four shutout innings of relief by Ismael Casillas and Kyle Fernandes. Lamacchia (1-2) took the loss. The six pitchers in the game combined for 24 strikeouts, 13 by the Hoppers.
The teams continue their series at First Horizon with a game a 7 p.m. Thursday.
South Atlantic League Stories from July 5, 2006
- Columbus stays hot with 9-8 win over Charleston - Columbus Catfish
- Augusta scores 15 unanswered runs after rain delay at L.P. Frans - Augusta GreenJackets
- Drive devour Grasshoppers, 8-3 - Greenville Drive
- Big early inning pushes Drive past Hoppers - Greensboro Grasshoppers
- Legends say adios to losing streak - Lexington Legends
- Power game postponed - Charleston Dirty Birds
- Captains blanked by Suns Wednesday - Lake County Captains
- Thatcher promoted - Charleston Dirty Birds
- Suns blank Captains, 1-0 - Hagerstown Suns
- Suns free baseball clinic Saturday - Hagerstown Suns
- New York Mets offer tryouts - Hagerstown Suns
- Lynyrd Skynyrd Concert To Be Re-Scheduled - Delmarva Shorebirds
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