SAL1 Greenville Drive

Pinckney's Blast Wins It for Bombers in Ninth

Published on June 5, 2005 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Greenville Drive News Release


GREENVILLE, SC - For about twenty minutes it looked as if a former Clemson Tiger had come back to the Upstate to help his Greensboro Grasshoppers break an eight-game losing streak. But in a game of 'can you top this', Brad McCann's three-run, eighth inning, go-ahead home run was rendered moot when Greenville's Andrew Pinckney blasted a towering three-run shot in the bottom of the ninth to give the Bombers a dramatic 8-6 win on Sunday at Municipal Stadium.

Pinckney's homer gave the Bombers a third straight win. The Grasshoppers not only have lost nine games in a row, but they have now dropped 14 of their last 16.

Greenville starter Gary Galvez was solid despite gaining no decision. The Cuban righthander yielded two runs over five and two-third innings in a spot start and departed with a 4-2 lead. Greenville built their lead on the strength of an unearned run in the first inning and two more in the second. The Grasshoppers commited four errors on the night, two by third baseman Jonathan Fulton, leading to four unearned Bomber runs.

Greensboro trailed 5-3 after seven innings, but would erase that deficit and then some in the top of the eighth against righthander Jesus Delgado. An infield single and walk set the table for McCann, who hit a rocket over the left field wall to give the Grasshoppers a 6-5 lead. McCann finished the night going 2-for-3 with four RBI. He homered for a second straight game, now giving him 12 on the season.

The Bombers were shut down in both the seventh and eighth innings by reliever Chris Mobley (0-2), who entered the game third in the South Atlantic League with 13 saves. However, Chuck Jeroloman reached base for a fifth time as Mobley walked him to open the ninth. John Otness then hit a potential double play grounder to Fulton, who bobbled it for an error. Pinckney made the Grasshoppers pay when he launched a 2-0 pitch to deep right field for the game-winner and his sixth home run of the season.

Righthander Modesto Ozuna (1-0) pitched a scoreless top of the ninth inning to earn the win for Greenville.

The clubs meet in the series and homestand finale Monday at 7:05pm. Righthander Jarrett Gardner will make his first start of the year for the Bombers. Gardner was reassigned to Greenville today from Advanced-A Wilmington (DE), where he was 1-2 with a 6.00 ERA in ten appearances. He will be opposed by Grasshoppers righthander Craig Molldrem (4-1).

NOTES: PINCKNEY leads the club with 38 RBI......JEROLOMAN went 3-for-3 with 2 walks, 2 runs scored an an RBI. He is 5-for-7 over his last 2 games....Ss CHRISTIAN LARA went 1-for-3, running his hit streak to 4 games.....in addition to GARDNER joining the club, the Bombers promoted Lhp ANDREW DOBIES to Wilmington on Sunday. Also, Rhp SCOTT SHOEMAKER has been placed on the Disabled List retroactive to June 1sat with a sore right shoulder......

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