SAL1 Greensboro Grasshoppers

Greensboro Game Notes

Published on April 12, 2008 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Greensboro Grasshoppers News Release


Today's Game

Greensboro Grasshoppers (6-3)

vs. Asheville Tourists (6-3)

Starting Pitchers

RHP Colby Miller (0-1, 4.50)

RHP Bruce Billings (1-0, 7.20)

Quick Stats

GBO Team Batting Average: .254 (5th)

GBO Team ERA: 2.67 (3rd)

ASH Team Batting Average: .238 (9th)

ASH Team ERA: 2.69 (5th)

Game Information

Start Time: 7:00 p.m.

Ballpark: NewBridge Bank Park (7,599)

Location: Greensboro, N.C.

Series Insight: Greensboro and Asheville are facing off in Game 2 of a four-game series at NewBridge Bank Park today... All-time, the Grasshoppers are 21-14 against Asheville, including an 11-6 record at NewBridge Bank Park... The Grasshoppers posted a 2-6 record against the Tourists last season and snapped a six-game losing streak to the Tourists with Friday's 7-2 victory... The teams last met in Asheville with the Tourists sweeping a four-game set in June 25-28, 2007... All-time, the Grasshoppers have out-scored the Tourists 191-161.

The Ozzie Dagger: Osvaldo "Ozzie" Martinez, now playing in his third professional season, hit just his second career home run Friday in Greensboro's 7-2 win... Martinez last homered on July 7, 2006, when playing for the Gulf Coast League Marlins... In that game, Martinez went 2-for-4 hitting in the two-spot and drove in four runs... His first career home run was a two-out, grand slam off of the GCL Dodgers' Kengshill Pujols... Martinez played in 81 games between home runs.

Bullpen Prowess: Greensboro's bullpen has a 1.54 ERA through the first nine games of the season... The pen has allowed just eight earned runs in 35.0 innings of work... In the last four games, the Grasshoppers bullpen has a 1.26 ERA and has struck out 20 batters while allowing just two earned runs in 14.1 innings of work.

Player Notes: Outfielder Tom Hickman had his six-game hit streak snapped Thursday in the series finale against Hickory... Mike Stanton is currently on a six-game hit streak and leads all South Atlantic League right-handed batters in batting average.

Bad Bounces: The Grasshoppers committed 20 errors over the course of their first nine games... Greensboro committed at least one error in their first seven games of the season... Thursday snapped a seven-game with an error stretch which was the longest stretch since the Grasshoppers committed at least one error in seven consecutive games from July 6-13, 2007... Greensboro committed 11 errors over the seven-game span... Greensboro's 20 errors are the most in the South Atlantic League this season.

All-Time Record: Friday's 7-2 victory over Asheville moved Greensboro's all-time record back to .500. The Hoppers entered the season with a 206-208 record and now stand 212-212... The Grasshoppers have recorded season records of 67-71 (2005), 68-69 (2006), 71-69 (2007) and are 6-3 so far this season.

Sit 'em Down: Greensboro matched a season-high Friday by striking out 10 batters... Hoppers starter Stuart Alexander struck out a career-high seven batters during his 5.0 inning of work, the most strikeouts by a Greensboro starter since Graham Taylor struck out seven in a 13-7 victory over Hickory on Aug. 22, 2007... Taylor also worked 5.0 innings.

This Day in Hoppers History: Greensboro lost its first ever April 12 game in 2006 by a score of 3-5 at home against West Virginia... Last season the Hoppers played a double-header on April 12 to make up an April 11 postponed contest... Greensboro won both games of the double-header over Lake County, 4-3 and 6-5 at home in front of 7,410 fans... The two games combined saw four home runs, three by Greensboro, and the Hoppers pitching staff struck out 18 batters in 15.0 inning of work.

Top Prospects: The Marlins' top pick in the 2007 draft (12th overall), Matt Dominguez, is the highest touted third-baseman on the Marlins' prospect list printed in Baseball America and enters his first full season of professional baseball after playing five games with the Gulf Coast Marlins and 10 games with Jamestown... In the same article, Dominguez was named the Marlins' best Minor League defensive infielder... Mike Stanton, the Marlins' second draftee in the 2007 draft, also split time between the Gulf Coast Marlins (8 games) and Jamestown (9 games) last season... Entering the season, Stanton ranks ninth on Baseball America's top 10 prospects for the Marlins and was tabbed the organization's best power hitter and best athlete in the minors.

Welcome Home: The Grasshoppers are 122-93 (.567) all-time at NewBridge Bank Park, including a single-season best 47 wins during the 2007 season.

Up Next: Greensboro hits the road again for a four-game series in Greenville and a two-game set in Kannapolis... The Hoppers are 9-14 all-time against Kannapolis including a 2-9 mark on the road... Against Kannapolis, the Hoppers are 23-21 all-time and riding a six-game losing streak... Last season Greensboro posted a 9-11 mark against Kannapolis.

Check out the Greensboro Grasshoppers Statistics

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