SAL1 Greensboro Grasshoppers

Taylor's Shutout Pulls Hoppers Close To First Place

Published on May 15, 2007 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Greensboro Grasshoppers News Release


GREENSBORO, N.C. - Who says there aren't meaningful baseball games in May?

The Greensboro Grasshoppers will play Wednesday for a chance at first place in the Northern Division of the South Atlantic League. Game time against the West Virginia Power is 12:30 p.m. at First Horizon Park.

The Hoppers put themselves in that position with a 4-0 win over the Power Tuesday night. Left-hander Graham Taylor (5-1) threw a complete-game, five-hit shutout to pull Greensboro (25-13) within one-half game of the Power (24-11).

"Whatever happens, I'm pleased," said Hoppers manager Edwin Rodriguez. "It's a long season. But it would be nice to take that game."

Greensboro won for the eighth time in its last nine games. Rodriguez said the team really came together on the last road trip, when it won six of seven.

"Our bullpen came around and that has made the difference," he said. "It's also our defense, aggressive baserunning and clutch hitting."

The net result is players eager to come to the park and play every day.

"Winning is the best part about it," said Jacob Blackwood, who belted a two-run homer. "We're playing correctly, playing hard and there's life in the clubhouse. That makes it fun to play."

Blackwood's third homer of the year came in the fifth inning and scored John Raynor, who had walked.

Besides Blackwood's RBIs, the Hoppers' other two runs were accounted for by Greg Burns. In the third inning, he ripped a hard grounder down the right field line, turned on the jets and wound up with a triple. Raynor's single scored him.

In the fifth, Burns drew a walk, stole second and then third and scored on Chris Coghlan's groundout.

Taylor didn't need anything else, holding the Power at bay all night. He struck out seven and, in the ninth inning, issued his second walk of the season (in 54 innings) with two outs. He then got a called third strike on Chuck Caufield to end the game.

"The last time I pitched a complete game was in college, so it has been about a year," Taylor said. "I was a little fatigued because I hadn't been that deep in a game for awhile. I was probably trying to do a little too much in the ninth and was overthrowing a little."

Pitching coach John Duffy said Taylor, who was held out of his last start because of a blister on his middle finger, threw 105 pitches.

"He was crisp," Duffy said. "His slider and changeup were outstanding, he worked both sides of the plate and kept the hitters off balance. And he pitches to contact. He takes notes on every hitter he faces and we talk between innings, so he makes adjustments on the hitters."

The Hoppers played errorless ball behind Taylor, who always works quickly. Two of the six baserunners he allowed were erased when they were caught stealing from Taylor to first baseman Logan Morrison to shortstop Daniel Garcia.

Check out the Greensboro Grasshoppers Statistics

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South Atlantic League Stories from May 15, 2007


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