SAL1 Greensboro Grasshoppers

Ontiveros Drives In Game Winner, Hoppers Down Suns in Finale

Published on July 11, 2009 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Greensboro Grasshoppers News Release


GREENSBORO, NC- After an hour and nine minute rain delay, the Grasshoppers began their series finale against the Hagerstown Suns, managing a series split after an Emilio Ontiveros walk-off single helped down the Suns in an extra inning nail-bitter 4-3.

Grasshoppers' starter Tom Koehler fanned two in his first inning on the mound tonight, but ran into trouble in the following inning, as Hagerstown pieced together a walk and three hits to bring around the game's first three runs.

Koehler shut down the Suns after their three run second, and finished his evening with three scoreless innings and five strike outs. His five strike outs helped him pitch around three free passes, and also marked the third time in his last four outings he has notched at least five strikeouts.

Justin Bass helped Koehler and the Hoppers' offense to two runs of their own in the second inning, as a controversial home run brought in two runs to cut the Hagerstown lead to just one.

Bass lifted a high fly ball to left field in his second-inning at-bat, landing in the glove of a fan near the left field wall. After a quick deliberation by the umpires, they ruled there was no fan interference, but called catcher Kyle Skipworth out at second after Bass lapped Skipworth mid-trot.

Like his Hoppers counterpart, Hagerstown starter Hassan Pena settled in after the blast to record two scoreless innings before his exit at the conclusion of the fifth inning.

His replacement, Kevin Light, worked a perfect sixth inning of relief, but surrendered two singles in the seventh to help the Hoppers tie the ball game at three runs apiece. Light registered two quick outs in the seventh, but allowed Paul Gran to second base after a single to left field turned into an error that allowed Gran to move up another base. The red-hot Jeremy Synan stepped to the plate next, and delivered an RBI single to left field to even the score at three.

Lefty Daniel Jennings combined with Pete Andrelczyk to hold the Suns scoreless in their final three at-bats to help force the Saturday contest into extra innings.

The Suns had some offense brewing in the 10th inning, working back-to-back singles to put runners on first and second. Andrelczyk fanned Steven Souza in the next at-bat, but allowed the next hitter, Charlie Fermaint, to single to left field. The Hoppers' left fielder, Synan, came up throwing to nab he runner at the plate and keep the Suns scoreless in the extra frame.

The drama continued in the next at-bat however, as a wild pitch moved the go ahead runner 90 feet closer to scoring. Andrelczyk regained his composure after the wild pitch, and struck out the batter to get the Hoppers in the dugout and set the table for some walk-off magic.

A lead off walk to Ryan Keedy acted as the catalyst in the 10th frame, as he moved into scoring position after Daniel Pertusati lined a single to left field. Ontiveros made himself the hero of the evening in the next at-bat, dumping a single in front of the centerfielder to bring around Keedy and give the Hoppers a walk-off win in the finale.

With the win, the Hoppers (42-44) salvaged a series split with the Suns, and gave Andrelczyk (2-2) his second win of the season. The Hoppers leave town to take on the Rome Braves on Monday, but will return home on July 22nd to host the Charleston RiverDogs for four games.

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South Atlantic League Stories from July 11, 2009


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