GREENVILLE, S.C. — Pitching held its own in the first game of the series between Greenville and Hub City, but the offenses came to play on Wednesday night. Behind three home runs, the Drive (11-15, 37-52) beat the Spartanburgers (8-18, 42-50) 13-6.
After a brief rain delay to begin the night, Alex Bouchard faced the minimum in the top of the first. Hub City starter AJ Russell immediately faced a jam in the bottom half. With one out, a walk and a double from Yoeilin Cespedes put two runners in scoring position. A walk and a strikeout later, Ronny Hernandez singled in the first two runs of the game. Russell (L, 1-2) got the final out of the inning with a strikeout, but it was his final pitch of the night.
Bouchard followed up with two more scoreless innings. Joe Adametz took over in the second for Hub City and immediately ran into trouble. A single and a double landed runners on second and third with two outs. Adametz hit Cespedes to load the bases, then Luke Heyman drove two more runs home. Gerardo Rodriguez followed with a run-scoring hit but was thrown out trying to stretch his single to a double. Greenville led 5-0 after the second.
In the third, a trio of singles loaded the bases and Enddy Azocar walloped a grand slam to stretch the Drive lead to nine.
Hub City came alive in the fourth against Joe Vogatsky. With one out, Luke Hanson walked; Antonis Macias singled, and Marcos Torres bounced into a fielder’s choice. The grounder could have been a double play but Drive second baseman Stanley Tucker threw wide of second base towards left field. Hanson and Macias scored, and Torres ended up on third. Soon after, Quincy Scott reached on a throwing error and Torres crossed the plate.
Adametz found his stride in the bottom of the fourth, facing the minimum. The bats went back to work in the fifth. A leadoff walk by Casey Cook and a Maxton Martin single set the table for Hanson, who brought Cook home with a sacrifice fly; and Macias, who smoked a laser off the foul pole for his second home run in two days. Calvin Bickerstaff entered to finish the fifth for Greenville after the Spartanburgers whittled the deficit to three 9-6.
Greenville fought back in the bottom of the sixth. Cespedes launched a solo home run to extend the lead to four. In the seventh, J’Briell Easley struck out a pair, but back-to-back singles brought Justin Gonzales to the plate. The hulking outfielder hit a three-run home run onto the Green Monster in left field and took his time admiring the shot. When Gonzales crossed the plate, he exchanged words with Cal Stark. The bickering escalated, and as both teams streamed out of the dugouts, Gonzales took a swing at Stark. Both players were quickly separated. After the fracas died down, Gonzales, Stark and Easley, who rushed in to defend his catcher, were ejected. Cole Roland came on for the final out of the seventh and handled a scoreless eighth as well.
Meanwhile, Bickerstaff (W, 6-2) faced one over the minimum through the final three innings. Only a double from Torres broke his rhythm.
Hub City hopes to get back to winning ways Thursday with Kamdyn Perry (0-2, 10.50 ERA) on the mound. Greenville counters with Marcus Phillips (0-4, 6.26 ERA), who is scheduled to throw the first pitch at 6:45 p.m. ET.
About the Hub City Spartanburgers
The Hub City Spartanburgers are the High-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers and the reigning South Atlantic League South Division Champions. For more information on the Spartanburgers, visit milb.com/hub-city. For information about tickets to any of Hub City’s 66 home games, call 864-594-0701 or email: tickets@hcspartanburgers.com. For media inquiries, email: iunsworth@hcspartanburgers.com. Follow along with the Spartanburgers on social media.