SAL1 Greensboro Grasshoppers

Big innings help Hoppers to fourth straight win

August 22, 2009 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Greensboro Grasshoppers News Release


GREENSBORO, NC - The Grasshoppers' offense took control of business early in Friday's series opener against Lexington, providing plenty of run support for lefty Brad Hand (7-12), who picked up his seventh win of the season as the Hoppers downed the visiting Legends, 12-3.

Hand, who worked around an early one-run hiccup, went on to toss five spectacular innings to lock down the Lexington offense. He scattered five hits on the day, and allowed just one run throughout his outing, a leadoff blast in the second inning to Federico Hernandez.

But the Hoppers' bats came ready to play as well, jumping on Lexington starter Ross Seaton (8-10) in the third inning, despite the Lexington right-hander serving two zeros through his first two frames.

Seaton registered two quick outs in the Hoppers' third, but allowed a single to Paul Gran to give the home team a base runner with two outs. Jake Smolinski walked in the ensuing at-bat to keep the two-out rally alive, and came around to score one batter later when Ryan Keedy jacked a three-run homer to right field, his fourth of the season.

The Hoppers, who worked all three runners on base with two outs, didn't stop there. After the blast, Ben Lasater worked a walk of his own, and hustled around to third when a double off the bat of Thomas Hickman put the Hoppers in position to score yet again. This time it was left fielder Robert Taylor who provided the base knock, driving a two-strike single up the middle to bring home Lasater and Hickman, giving the Hoppers a four-run advantage early in the Friday contest.

But the Hoppers, who offense has garnered a season-best four straight wins, continued their offensive onslaught in the following inning. Second basemen Daniel Pertusati led things off with a single past the short stop, and stole second base before Isaac Galloway worked a walk to get things cooking once more.

Smolinski added a single of his own two-batters later, loading the bases with just one out, sending Emilio Ontiveros to the plate with the chance to break the game open even further.

Ontiveros did just that in his night's first plate appearance, ripping a two-run double over the head of the centerfielder, igniting a Hoppers' rally that would bring home four more runs before Lexington could register the final out.

Legends' reliever Henry Villar came on in an attempt to stop the bleeding, but surrendered an RBI single to the first batter he faced. Hickman, who is hitting at a .500 clip over his previous eight games, continued his stellar play with a three-run home run in the next at-bat to cap off the Hoppers' six-run inning.

They would tack on one more insurance run in the sixth, when Lasater set the table with a one-out double, and came around to score on Torre Langley's RBI single to right field.

The Hoppers' didn't need the insurance after all, as lefty Ramon Benjamin came on for Hand in the sixth, and retired the side in order. Benjamin did allow one run on two hits in the following inning, but worked past the jam to hand the ball to fellow lefty Andrew Loomis.

Loomis allowed one run as well, but used the Hoppers' offensive cushion to settle himself down and record the final three outs of the game, closing the door on Hand's win and the Hoppers' fourth straight.

The Hoppers' (57-66) have outscored their opponents 40-12 over the last four games, and have put together their longest winning streak of the 2009 campaign. They look to continue their offensive domination in tomorrow's contest, where they host the Legends for game two of the current set.

Check out the Greensboro Grasshoppers Statistics



South Atlantic League Stories from August 22, 2009


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