SAL1 Greensboro Grasshoppers

Eleven Hits Not Enough against Asheville

Published on April 27, 2018 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Greensboro Grasshoppers News Release


ASHEVILLE, N.C. - The Grasshoppers pounded out 11 hits, nearly twice as many as their opponent, but failed to string enough of them together in a 3-2 loss to the Tourists on Friday night at McCormick Field. Greensboro reliever Dustin Beggs dominated out of the bullpen, striking out eight batters over 3.0 innings, but the offense failed to come through when it mattered most.

Beggs finished with three nearly-flawless innings, facing one over the minimum and allowing one hit. The right-hander struck out the first six batters he faced, including a perfect frame in both the sixth and seventh innings. He gave up a one-out hit in the eighth before striking out the final two batters he faced.

Asheville broke a scoreless tie with a 3-run bottom of the third, and Tourists pitching held up the rest of the way. In the third, Shael Mendoza stepped to the plate with men in scoring position and knocked a base hit through the right side of the infield for two runs. Mendoza proceeded to steal second and third base before Casey Golden drove him in with an RBI-single and a 3-0 lead.

Greensboro (12-8) got on the board in the next half inning, taking advantage of an Asheville error in the top of the fourth. Micah Brown singled to lead off the inning, and Marcos Rivera doubled to move both men into scoring position. Catcher Robbie Perkins tried to pickoff Brown at third base, but his throw sailed into the outfield, scoring Brown. The Hoppers, however, failed to score again until the eighth.

Down 3-1 in the top of the eighth, Aaron Knapp led off with a base hit off new reliever Tommy Doyle. Isael Soto and Micah Brown added a pair of one-out hits to load the bases, and Rivera cashed Knapp with a sac-fly, pulling Greensboro within a run, 3-2. Michael Hernandez grounded out to second base, stranding a pair of men in scoring position.

The Hoppers had one last change in the ninth inning, however Zach Sullivan's inning-opening single went for naught as Sam Castro struck out behind him, and Garvis Lara grounded out. With two outs, Knapp walked to put the go-ahead run on base, but Robert Tyler struck out Jose Devers to end the game.

Greensboro finished the game 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position, stranding nine men on base over the course of the game. Despite the two-run output, eight of the nine Hoppers batters hit safely in the game with Hernandez being the lone holdout.

Asheville's Garrett Schilling (2-1) earned the win, working 6.0 innings and allowing an unearned run on seven hits with five strikeouts and a walk. Taylor Braley (1-2) took the loss for Greensboro, allowing three runs on five hits with a walk and four strikeouts in 5.0 innings. Tyler earned the save (1).

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South Atlantic League Stories from April 27, 2018


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