SAL1 Greensboro Grasshoppers

Hayes' walk-off homer beats BlueClaws 4-3

Published on July 15, 2006 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Greensboro Grasshoppers News Release


GREENSBORO, N.C. - Brett Hayes cracked a home run in the bottom of the ninth inning to give the Greensboro Grasshoppers a 4-3 win over the Lakewood BlueClaws Saturday night at First Horizon Park.

Hayes drove a 3-and-2 pitch from Lakewood pitcher Brett Harker into the lawn seating in left field for his fifth homer of the season.

With the win, the Hoppers moved to 11-11 in the second half of the South Atlantic League season and trimmed a game off first-place Lakewood's lead in the Northern Division. The Hoppers trail the BlueClaws by 4½ games with three games left in this series.

"(Harker) had a dirty curve ball and in the back in my mind that's what I expected," Hayes said. "When I saw a fastball, I put the barrel of the bat on the ball and it went out. I was just looking to get on base and find a way to get to second."

The homer earned a win for Mauro Zarate, the fourth Hoppers pitcher. Zarate came on in the top of the ninth with a runner on third and one out. He struck out Cooper Osteen and Michael Spidale to get out of the jam.

"(Zarate) was unbelievable," said Hayes, the catcher. "He was throwing strikes on every pitch and did an excellent job of keeping the ball down."

The Hoppers banged out 13 hits, including three each by Gary Roche and Andy Jenkins, and Jenkins picked up a pair of RBIs to run his total to 52 for the season.

Greensboro stranded 12 runners, including six in the first three innings. In the bottom of the fourth, Hoppers manager Brandon Hyde decided to change things up.

Paul Witt was on third base and James Guerrero on second with two outs and Jenkins at the plate against Lakewood left-hander Josh Outman. Witt broke for home and slid in safely while Guerrero completed the double steal and took third.

"It's a risky play, an instinct play, but we rolled the dice and it worked out," Hyde said. "I told Witt after the first pitch to Jenkins that we might try it. The key is how far he can get off the base. I told him to walk with me (down the baseline) and then go. He got a great jump."

The pitch, on a 1-and-2 count, was a low changeup. Jenkins, who didn't know the steal was on, took the pitch as Witt slid in. Jenkins then followed with a single that scored Guerrero.

The teams play today at 5 p.m. at First Horizon.

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South Atlantic League Stories from July 15, 2006


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