Sports stats

SAL1 Greensboro Grasshoppers

Kutler's hit caps Hoppers rally past Legends

June 16, 2006 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Greensboro Grasshoppers News Release


GREENSBORO, N.C. - Matt Kutler provided a dramatic home run and then a dramatic single Friday night as the Greensboro Grasshoppers rallied to beat the Lexington Legends 8-7 in 10 innings at First Horizon Park.

Kutler, a reserve outfielder, helped the Hoppers rally with one of three solo home runs in the ninth inning. Once down 7-2, the Hoppers still trailed 7-4 going into the bottom of the ninth. Jon Fulton led off against Legends reliever Sammy Gervacio with a home run to left, his eighth of the year, and Kutler followed with another shot to left, his first of the season. Gervacio retired the next two hitters before Trent D'Antonio, with two strikes on him, homered to right to tie the score. It was his second of the game and sixth of the season.

In the 10th, Andy Jenkins led off with a double against Chris Campos and Juan Figueroa followed with a single. James Guerrero was walked intentionally to load the bases. Fulton struck out, but Kutler grounded a single through the pitcher's box into center field to score Jenkins.

Kutler, who was hitting .167 in 60 at-bats this season, went 3-for-5 to raise his average to .200.

"Consistent playing time is the key and I've been in the lineup the last few games," Kutler said. "The big thing is timing. When you don't play every day, you miss pitches, maybe foul off a pitch you would ordinarily hit."

Kutler's homer was an opposite-field shot. That's nothing unusual, he said. When he played at Brown University, most of his homers went to the opposite field.

In the 10th inning, of course, a home run wasn't needed.

"I've been in those situations before, in college and in the Cape Cod League," Kutler said. "I was trying to hit the ball where it was pitched, but going up the middle is always a good game plan. I think it just squeezed under the pitcher's glove."

The teams banged out 32 hits in the contest. Leading the Legends, who have already clinched the first-half pennant in the Northern Division of the South Atlantic League, was J.R. Towles, who went 3-for-6, including his eighth homer, with three RBIs.

Figueroa and Guerrero also had three hits for the Hoppers, who improved to 36-32 and clinched a winning record for the first half.

The Greensboro relief corps pitched well, allowing just one run in six innings. Travis Talbott threw two shutout innings and Blake Jones, who got the win, pitched two more, with three strikeouts.

The teams play the second game of the series Saturday at 7 p.m. at First Horizon.

Check out the Greensboro Grasshoppers Statistics



South Atlantic League Stories from June 16, 2006


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

Other Recent Greensboro Grasshoppers Stories



Sports Statistics from the Stats Crew
OurSports Central