AtL Gastonia Ghost Peppers

GBC Comeback Bid Falls Short, 5-Game Winning Streak Snapped

Published on May 27, 2024 under Atlantic League (AtL)
Gastonia Ghost Peppers News Release


Despite rallying back to score five straight runs and tie the game, Gastonia fell to Southern Maryland on Saturday night 7-5, which snapped the Club's five-game winning streak.

Brett Daniels started for Gastonia, and the right-hander allowed four runs on five hits in the third inning.

The big hit in the frame was off the bat of Anthony Brocato - a three-run shot to put the Crabs up 4-0. Brocato now has 10 homers on the season and leads the Atlantic League with 31 RBIs.

Daniels allowed another long ball in the fourth, this one off the bat of Alan Alonso.

Alonso was in the lineup playing third base for Southern Maryland, the same position that Ian Yetsko manned the first two games of the series. Yetsko, who made three errors the night prior, was replaced in the lineup by Alonso.

The Blue Crabs led 5-0 entering the bottom of the fourth, when Gastonia started gaining momentum.

Kevin Watson Jr, coming off his 3-for-4 birthday performance on Friday, knocked in Josh Stowers with a single to make it 5-1.

Gastonia proceeded to score at least a run in four consecutive innings, from the fourth through the seventh.

Jake Hoover and Jack Reinheimer each hit RBI singles in the fifth to cut the deficit to two, which was followed by an Eric De La Rosa run-scoring single in the sixth to cut it to 5-4.

Southern Maryland starter Shawn Semple came back out to start the seventh, and he allowed back-to-back hits by the bottom of the Gastonia order.

Justin Wylie doubled before Hoover hit his second RBI single of the contest - a line drive right up the middle to tie the game at 5 in the bottom of the seventh.

Gastonia right-hander Zach Vennaro entered for the eighth, and he struggled with his control, walking the first two batters he faced. It certainly didn't help that it started raining at CaroMont Health Park.

Vennaro allowed a go-ahead two-run single by Aaron Hill before a rain delay was called.

That single proved to be the game-winner on Saturday night, as the Gastonia offense struck out five times in two innings against closer Endrys Briceno, failing to score.

Gastonia fell to 19-9 on the year after dropping Game 3 of the series 7-5.

The fourth and final contest of the series is on Memorial Day at noon.

Check out the Gastonia Ghost Peppers Statistics

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Atlantic League Stories from May 27, 2024


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