Grullon HR Keys Comeback in 6-4 Win at West Virginia

August 20, 2015 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Jersey Shore BlueClaws News Release

CHARLESTON, WV - Deivi Grullon hit a three-run home run to put the BlueClaws ahead in the sixth inning and Matt Hockenberry got the last four outs, including escaping a bases loaded jam in the eighth, as Lakewood topped West Virginia 6-4 on Thursday night at Appalachian Power Park.

The win brings the BlueClaws (30-23/63-58) within six games of first place West Virginia (36-17/73-49) with 17 games left in the season.

Hockenberry came on with the bases loaded in the eighth and struck out Chase Simpson to end the inning before throwing a 1-2-3 ninth inning to get his 14th save, third most in the league.

Grullon's home run came off starter Stephen Tarpley (10-3) in the sixth inning and was his fifth home run of the season, sixth of his career, and put Lakewood up 6-4 after they trailed 4-3.

After the BlueClaws scored twice in the first inning, on RBI doubles by Scott Kingery and Damek Tomscha, West Virginia would score the next four runs of the game. They got their first run in the second inning on an RBI double by Elvis Escobar, and they would take the lead with three runs in the fourth - a two-run double by Pablo Reyes and another RBI double by Escobar.

Lakewood starter Jairo Munoz came out after allowing four runs in four innings in his first start of the season.

The BlueClaws got one run, on a Scott Kingery SAC fly, in the fifth before Deivi Grullon took Stephen Tarpley deep for his fifth home run of the year and sixth of his career. The three-run shot put the BlueClaws ahead 6-4.

Manaure Martinez, who came on for Munoz in the fifth, threw three scoreless innings of relief, and has allowed one run in his last 17 innings of work. He earned the win to improve to 3-1 on the season.

Herlis Rodriguez, whose 19 game hitting streak was snapped on Wednesday, went 2-5 while Damek Tomscah, Cord Sandberg, and Jiandido Tromp also had two-hit games for the BlueClaws.

The series in West Virginia continues on Friday night. RHP Will Morris (5-0) starts for Lakewood against RHP Yeudy Garcia (12-5) at 7:05.

Deivi Grullon of the Lakewood BlueClaws

South Atlantic League Stories from August 20, 2015

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• Savannah Streak Turns Sweet Sixteen - Savannah Sand Gnats
• Tourists Win in Extra Innings, 3-1 - Rome Emperors
• Delmarva Speeds Past Drive, 9-4 - Delmarva Shorebirds
• Morris, Riga Work Spotless Relief in Loss to Gnats - Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
• R'Dogs Keep Rolling with 5-1 Win over Augusta - Charleston RiverDogs
• Power Slips to Lakewood 6-4 - Charleston Dirty Birds
• Shorebirds Fly Past Drive, 9-4 - Greenville Drive
• Grullon HR Keys Comeback in 6-4 Win at West Virginia - Jersey Shore BlueClaws
• 'Dads to Host Bases & Brews on September 12 - Hickory Crawdads
• Legends Rained out in Hagerstown - Lexington Legends
• Suns and Legends Game Postponed - Hagerstown Suns
• WV Power Game Notes: August 20, 2015 vs. Lakewood - Charleston Dirty Birds
• Another Shutout Win Caps Homestand on a High Note - Asheville Tourists
• Shorebirds Slow out of Gates, Fall 6-1 - Delmarva Shorebirds

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