Winston-Salem Dash Game Notes (July 27)
Published on July 27, 2021 under South Atlantic League (SAL)
Winston-Salem Dash News Release
The Dash take on Greensboro for the first game in a six-game set tonight. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m..
Winston-Salem Dash (29-43) vs. GREENSBORO GRASSHOPPERS (44-28)
RHP Kaleb Roper (0-2, 8.65 ERA) vs. RHP Grant Ford (5-1, 4.95 ERA)
6:30 p.m. - First National Bank Field (Greensboro, NC)
Game #73
THE BATTLE OF I-40 PART III
After a 12-8 loss to the Jersey Shore BlueClaws in the series finale, the Dash travel to First National Bank Field for the final time this year to take on the Greensboro Grasshoppers. The 'Hoppers come into the series in second place in the High-A East South, trailing the Bowling Green Hot Rods by six games. The Dash on the other hand sit 1.5 games out of sixth place, looking to ascend in the standings with a successful series against their intrastate rivals.
After 12 games between the Dash and Grasshoppers this year, the series is tied at six games apiece. In the first series, Winston-Salem took the first three games before dropping the following three contests, while Greensboro snagged two of the final three in the second series to split at Truist Stadium.
The Dash send Kaleb Roper to the mound in the series opener. The righty faced Greensboro at home on June 17 where he allowed back-to-back homers to leadoff the game before striking out six in a row.
GRANT FORD: FROM RELIEVER TO STARTER
Used primarily as a reliever this year, Grant Ford toes the rubber as a starter for the fourth time this year in the series opener. A fifth-round selection from Nevada, Ford has gradually upped his workload as the season has progressed, tossing three or more innings in five of his last six appearances.
Ford has tinkered with starting throughout his college career, struggling his first two seasons in the role before moving to the bullpen full-time. The transition paid dividends, as Ford logged career best numbers en route to his fifth-round selection by Pittsburgh.
Armed with a fastball that can reach 97 and a mid-80s slider, Ford has struck out 53 in 43.2 innings during the 2021 season. The San Jose native has faced the Dash three times this year, allowing six earned runs in 9.1 innings, yielding four runs in 2.1 innings in his second appearance against Winston-Salem on June 6.
SCOUTING THE 'HOPPERS
Greensboro is one of the best offensive teams in the High-A East, ranking in the top five in homeruns, walks, and slugging. The Grasshoppers lineup wields four batters who have blasted 10 or more homeruns this year, while three 'Hoppers hitters have logged 40+ RBIs.
The final area that Greensboro dominates is on the base paths - with stolen bases. The Grasshoppers come into the series leading the High-A East in stolen bases with 109, good for a comfortable lead of 15 bases over second place Hudson Valley. Led by Lolo Sanchez (20 SBs), Greensboro has terrorized opponents with their running game this year, setting the table for a top-five statistical offense.
DASH ON THE LEADERBOARDS
Heading into their series with Greensboro, the Dash have several players ranking highly on the High-A East leaderboards. Luis Curbelo ranks sixth in homers with 15, while the power-hitting third baseman clocks in at eighth in RBIs (44) and second in doubles (17).
Elsewhere, Duke Ellis ranks third in the High-A East in stolen bases (23), while Lenyn Sosa holds second place in the league in hits (81) while amassing the longest hitting streak by any player during the 2021 season (17 games).
On the pitching side, Davis Martin leads the league in starts (15) and is tied for eighth in strikeouts (71), while Caleb Freeman clocks in at sixth in the league in saves (6).
A PREVIEW OF TOMORROW
The Dash turn to Davis Martin for his 16th start in game two of the six-game set. Martin faced the Grasshoppers twice in the first series of the season, tossing a combined 8.2 innings while allowing just one earned run. Martin fanned nine between the two starts but did not factor into either decision.
Greensboro will send Braxton Ashcraft to the hump for the righty's 11th start of the year. A second-round choice in 2018, Ashcraft allowed five earned runs in four innings on June 2, his only start against the Dash this year.
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