SAL1 Greensboro Grasshoppers

Sebald to Make Class A Debut

Published on June 27, 2018 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Greensboro Grasshoppers News Release


GREENSBORO GRASSHOPPERS (3-1 Second Half, 38-36) - MIA

vs. DELMARVA SHOREBIRDS (3-3 Second Half, 35-32) - BAL

Wednesday - 7:00 p.m.

First National Bank Field - Greensboro, N.C.

Game #75 of 138

LH Scott Sebald (0-0, 0.00) vs. LH Cameron Bishop (6-4, 3.38)

Today's Preview: The Grasshoppers (A, Marlins) begin a new 3-game series against the Shorebirds (A, Orioles) on Wednesday at First National Bank Field. This is Delmarva's first trip of the season to Greensboro and the first of three series between the two teams in the Second Half. The Grashoppers took two of three games against the Shorebirds at Perdue Stadium earlier in June. Greensboro enters this series at 4-1 in the Second Half standings, tied with West Virginia for first in the Northern Division.

Hoppers Hurlers: Scott Sebald, who turned 24 earlier this month, makes his Class A debut for the Grasshoppers on Wednesday in his fourth career start and first of this season. He has made one relief appearance with the GCL Marlins - working 4.1 innings and allowing a run on two hits with five strikeouts and no walks on June 21 against the GCL Astros - since signing with the Marlins on June 1 as a free agent. Sebald began his professional career in 2016 when he signed with the Texas Rangers and split the season between the AZL Rangers and Short-Season Spokane, going 1-0 with a 2.61 ERA (9 ER/31.0 IP) and 34 strikeouts in 14 games (three starts). He spent 2017 playing with the independent Normal CornBelters of the Frontier League as well as two appearances with the Lancaster Barnstormers of the Atlantic League. Between the two teams, he went 9-3 with a 3.18 ERA (42 ER/119.0 IP) and 97 strikeouts in 24 games (17 starts).

About Last Night: Trailing by three runs, Greensboro rallied in their final at-bats to score a come-from-behind win, 8-7, over Kannapolis on Tuesday. Rodrigo Ayarza hit the go-ahead double with two outs in the bottom of the eighth to cap a 4-run frame. The Hoppers bullpen kept the Intimidators quiet over 5.2 innings of relief. Colton Hock, Chris Reed, and Vincenzo Aiello combined to strik eout five while working around two hits and four walks. Aiello (1-0) tossed a scoreless eighth and ninth inning to earn the win. Trailing 7-4 heading into the bottom of the eighth, Greensboro rallied for four runs to reclaim the lead for the first time since the second inning. Kannapolis reliever Aron McRee plunked Will Allen to open the inning and hurled a wild pitch, moving Allen into scoring position before a Lazaro Alonso groundout put the runner on third. Isael Soto, Micah Brown, and Ricardo Cespedes followed with a hit parade of three consecutive singles, leaving the bases loaded and the Hoppers down 7-5. Greensboro pulled within a run in the bottom of the eighth, 7-6, when a passed ball evaded Intimidators catcher Evan Skoug, allowing Soto to score. Garvis Lara added an RBI-groundout to tie the game, and Ayarza provided the go-ahead double off reliever Jose Nin, cashing Cespedes for an 8-7 lead. McRee (2-2) took the loss for Kannapolis. The Grasshoppers built an early 2-0 lead with runs in the first two frames before Kannapolis jumped ahead with a 5-run third inning.

Comeback Kids: The Grasshoppers improved to 11-5 in games decided in the final at-bats with an 8-7 win over the Intimidators on Tuesday afternoon. Greensboro trailed by three runs entering the bottom of the eighth before rallying for four runs. Grasshoppers wins in the final at-bats include:

Date Opp Result Notes 4/12 @HAG W, 10-9 (10) First extra-inning game under new rules

4/13 @HAG W, 6-4 BJ Lopez 2-RBI single in Top 9 is difference

4/14 @HAG L, 4-5 Juan Soto hits walk-off single to cap 2-run 9th

4/17 @LWD L, 4-5 (10) Colby Fitch hits 2-out walk-off single in 10th

4/18 @LWD W, 5-4 (10) Aaron Knapp's infield hit plates BJ Lopez

4/19 CSC W, 3-2 Eric Gutierrez hits game-winner with 2 outs

4/22 CSC W, 3-2 Isael Soto caps 3-run 8th with RBI-double

4/29 @ASH W, 11-7 (10) GBO allows 2 in 9th, respond with 7 in 10th

5/2 HAG W, 10-8 Hernandez GW-HR caps GBO's 4-HR day

5/4 GVL W, 9-8 Sullivan's GW completes 6-run comeback

5/8 @ASH L, 10-14 Casey Golden's GA 2-R hit part of 6-run Bot 8

5/17 LWD L, 1-4 Gregori Rivero's hits GT-RBI-3B, scores in 9th

5/26 @HAG L, 0-4 HAG plates 4 in Bot 6 on 2 hits, 3 BB, 1 HBP

6/17 @KAN W, 3-1 Two runs in Top 9 spoils First Half for KAN

6/23-1 @HAG W, 5-4 (7) Jhonny Santos hits 3-run HR in Top 7

6/26 KAN W, 8-7 Rodrigo Ayarza's RBI-2B caps 4-run Bot 8

What Can Brown Do For You?: Micah Brown became the second Grasshopper with a 4-hit game when he finished Tuesday 4-for-4 with a double and two runs scored against Kannapolis. Earlier this season, Lazaro Alonso collected four hits on May 12 at Augusta. Now Hoppers hitter has had five hits in a game since April 29, 2017, when Colby Lusignan went 5-for-5 with two doubles, three RBI, and a run scored at Asheville.

So Much Soto: Isael Soto is currently on a 13-game on-base streak, the longest active streak by a player on the Hoppers roster. He has hit safely in eight of his last 13 games, dating back to June 12, and he has drawn six walks in that span. Soto smacked a 2-run triple on Monday night, his seventh extra-base hit since June 12 (three 2B, one 3B, three HR). With his 4-RBI game on Thursday, Soto posted his most RBI in a game this season while tying his career-high. His last 4-RBI game came during his debut season when he went 2-for-4 with a home run on July 19, 2014, with the GCL Marlins at the GCL Nationals. Both of his 4-RBI games have come against Nationals affiliates.

Check out the Greensboro Grasshoppers Statistics

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South Atlantic League Stories from June 27, 2018


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