SAL1 Greensboro Grasshoppers

Smolinski's 3 RBI Day Pushes Hoppers Past Captains

Published on May 18, 2009 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Greensboro Grasshoppers News Release


GREENSBORO, NC - The Grasshoppers downed the Lake County Captains tonight in the opener of their four game series.

Grasshoppers starter Tom Koehler (2-2) worked 5 1/3 innings en route to his second consecutive win, as the Grasshoppers defeated the Captains 6-5.

Koehler cruised through his first four innings, tossing four consecutive scoreless frames while holding the Captains to just one hit. His five-strikeout performance capped off a night of pitching dominance, as both teams combined for 23 total strikeouts.

Lefties Wade Korpi and Andrew Loomis relieved Koehler to strike out four before closer Pete Andrelczyk fanned four of his own to capture his sixth save of the season.

Lake County starter Trey Haley (0-1) struck out seven Hoppers' hitters in his Captains debut, but allowed six runs over 4 1/3 innings to take his first lost this season.

Infielder Jake Smolinski proved to be the hero at the plate, leading the Hoppers' offensively with his three RBI performance. Smolinski has now delivered three RBI in each of his last two games, including his two out, two RBI double in the bottom of the first tonight.

Smolinski would collect another RBI on a groundout in the third to give the Hoppers a four run cushion.

Lake County rallied to plate two runs in the fifth, but the Grasshoppers would answer with two runs in the bottom half on a Kyle Skipworth single and sac fly by Justin Jacobs.

Jacobs was the only Grasshopper to muster more than one hit, going 2-3 with an RBI. Jacobs continues to swing the bat well, boasting five hits in his last four games while posting a .357 batting average.

The other red-hot Justin, Outfielder Justin Bass, ended his streak of multi-hit games tonight, but still raked in a hit of his own to sustain a .500 batting average in his last three contests.

The Hoppers have now won their last two home contests, improving their overall record to 20-17.

The Grasshoppers, who lost their home series to Lake County a year ago, take on the Captains for the second game of their four game set tomorrow afternoon. The Hoppers, who are 3-3 in day games this year, host the Captains in a school day match-up, first pitch scheduled for 12:35 p.m.

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South Atlantic League Stories from May 18, 2009


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