SAL1 Greensboro Grasshoppers

Tucker sharp as Hoppers down BlueClaws

Published on July 16, 2006 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Greensboro Grasshoppers News Release


GREENSBORO, N.C. - The Greensboro Grasshoppers rode the momentum of Ryan Tucker's sharp pitching to a 7-4 win over the Lakewood BlueClaws Sunday at First Horizon Park.

The Hoppers pulled within 3½ games of Lakewood in the Northern Division of the South Atlantic League.

Tucker (4-9) fired seven shutout innings, allowing only two hits and two walks while striking out six. It was his longest outing of the season.

"I attacked people, went right at them," Tucker said. "I told myself before the game to just go out and get after them.

"This was the kind of game I've been needing to show them why I'm here. It was the most complete game I've thrown."

Pitching coach Steve Foster said Tucker was throwing between 94 and 97 miles per hour and mixing in a breaking ball for strikes.

"This was probably his best start," Foster said. "He was getting ahead in the count."

Backed up by three double plays, Tucker faced only 22 batters, one over the minimum.

Rafael Galbizo pitched the eighth inning with no problem, but things got more exciting than the Hoppers, leading 7-0, would have liked in the ninth. Lakewood turned five hits and two Hoppers errors into four runs.

Galbizo got only one out and was relieved by Hoppers closer Blake Jones. After giving up a single and a walk to load the bases, Jones struck out Welinson Baez and got Fidel Hernandez to ground out to end the game. Jones picked up his 16th save of the season.

All of the Hoppers' offense came in the first two innings, when they turned six hits, three walks and three Lakewood errors into seven runs against Lakewood starter Justin Blaine. The BlueClaws made five errors on the day. Jon Fulton's two-run single was the big hit in the four-run first inning and Andy Jenkins' two-run single was the key in the second inning. Jenkins moved his RBI total to 54, tops on the team.

The teams continue their series Monday at 7 p.m. at First Horizon.

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South Atlantic League Stories from July 16, 2006


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