Spartanburgers Comeback Comes up Two Runs Short
Published on July 9, 2026 under South Atlantic League (SAL)
Hub City Spartanburgers News Release
SPARTANBURG, S.C. - After a pair of Bowling Green wins to start the week over Hub City, the Hot Rods (11-7, 58-25) broke out to a big lead on Thursday night. Halfway through the fourth, the Spartanburgers (5-13, 39-45) trailed by eight. After four home runs across three innings, Hub City got within one. Ultimately, the 'Burgers come-from-behind efforts fell short in a 10-8 loss.
Heading into the night, David Davalillo's return to Hub City was a big headline. After stints in Double-A, Triple-A and the Arizona Complex league in 2026, Davalillo made his first High-A appearance since June 13, 2025, on Thursday. The Rangers' No. 7 prospect struck out two in a scoreless top of the first. Jose Urbina, the Rays' No. 17 prospect, responded with a scoreless, three-batter bottom of the first.
Bowling Green's offense roughed up Davalillo (L, 0-1) in the top of the second. With one out, a walk, a single and an error scored a run and set up Aidan Smith with two runners on base. Smith ripped a homer onto the Spartanburg Community College Berm to open the Hot Rods' lead to 4-0. Urbina once again faced the minimum.
In Bowling Green's third, Ryan McCoy doubled with one out, and Noah Myers drove him in with a single, ending Davalillo's outing. Jesus Gamez entered for the Spartanburgers; after walking two Hot Rods, he struck out a pair to end the inning. Urbina allowed a hit but rolled a double play to keep the 'Burgers off the scoreboard.
Kamdyn Perry took the baseball for Hub City in the fourth. Bowling Green's Connor Hujsak bounced a single through the right side of the infield, then took advantage of an error on a pickoff to reach third. After Perry's second strikeout of the inning, the Hot Rods hit three straight doubles, scoring three runs and widening their lead to 8-0.
After slicing through the Spartanburgers through the first three innings, Urbina faltered in the fourth. Chandler Pollard doubled to left on the first pitch of the inning, then Yeison Morrobel whacked a home run off the top of the right-center field scoreboard. Two batters later, Hub City repeated the sequence. Luke Hanson doubled, and Maxton Martin peppered the video board with a longball. Five batters into the fourth, the 'Burgers cut the Hot Rods' lead in half, 8-4. Urbina finished the inning, but that was his last action.
Bowling Green responded in the top of the fifth, scoring an unearned run against Perry on a walk, a two-base throwing error and a sacrifice fly. Matched against Mason Nichols (W, 1-0) in the bottom of the fifth, Hub City took advantage of an inning-extending error. With one out, Cal Stark walked, and Morrobel reached on a ground ball, which the second baseman missed. The next batter, Hector Osorio, hit a skyscraper over the deepest portion of the outfield fence, right-center field. Osorio's sixth High-A homer and 19th on the season cut the Hot Rods' lead to 9-7. In the sixth, Perry posted a zero, and Martin walloped a second homer to shorten the Bowling Green advantage to one run.
Kai Wynyard took over for the Spartanburgers in the eighth. After a pair of strikeouts, McCoy blasted a Wynyard fastball for a solo home run to retake a two-run lead. Wynyard struck out the final batter of the inning and went on to a scoreless ninth.
The 'Burgers were held off the scoreboard by Jadon Bercovich in the seventh and eighth. Facing Garrett Gainey (S, 1) in the ninth, Carter Garate reached on an error to bring the tying run to the plate, but a strikeout and a pair of flyouts gave the Hot Rods a share of the series.
The Spartanburgers try to respond to Bowling Green's three straight wins on Friday night. First pitch of the Fifth Third Firework Friday ballgame is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. ET. The Spartanburgers will turn to lefty Joe Adametz (2-5, 5.54 ERA) on the mound against right-hander Jack Kartsonas (5-3, 4.80 ERA).
South Atlantic League Stories from July 9, 2026
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