GREENSBORO, N.C. — After a pair of lopsided results, Hub City and Greensboro battled Friday night in a back-and-forth affair. In the end, the Spartanburgers (57-67, 23-35) squeaked out a 5-4 win over the Grasshoppers (75-49, 34-24) to even the series.
It did not take long for Hub City to scratch the scoreboard against Jacob Bimbi. Paxton Kling led off the game with a single to left. Kling stole second and took third tagging up on a flyout. A wild pitch put the ‘Burgers on top 1-0.
Ben DeTaeye started his night with a one-two-three bottom of the first. The first two batters in the second reached on walks. A sac bunt and a third walk then loaded the bases with one out. Gleider Figuereo doubled the lead with an RBI fielder’s choice. A failed double steal attempt ended the threat.
For the second straight night, the Grasshoppers bombed back-to-back solo homers to kick off the bottom of the second inning. Jared Jones again started the party, and Axiel Plaz this time provided the encore. DeTaeye bounced back with three straight outs and a clean third.
Bimbi finished his night with his only scoreless frame in the third. Adolfo Oviedo (L, 2-1) came out of the Grasshoppers bullpen for the fourth. With one out, Evan Morrison singled and advanced to second on a wild pitch. An out later, Tony Blanco Jr. whiffed on a ground ball to first, allowing Morrison to score. Jared Jones led off the bottom of the fourth and took DeTaeye deep again, his fourth home run in two games.
Tied at three in the fifth, Quincy Scott looped a base hit toward the chalk in right. Jones splayed out for the baseball and came up injured, allowing Scott to leg out a triple. Jones was lifted from the game, and Scott came in to score on a third fielding error by Blanco at first on a ground ball from Antonis Macias. Esteban Mejia singled to put two runners on with just one out. Cal Stark rolled a ground ball to short. The Grasshoppers got the force at second, but Blanco could not catch the throw at first to complete the double play. The first baseman’s fourth error allowed Macias to come around and score.
With one out in the bottom of the fifth, Dylan Palmer and Wyatt Sanford smacked a pair of singles to put runners on the corners. Edward Florentino brought in Palmer on a fielder’s choice, cutting the ‘Burgers lead back to one and ending DeTaeye’s night. Luke Savage (W, 4-3) came in for the final out of the fifth.
Braydon Risley struck out the side in the sixth, and Savage answered with a clean inning of his own. After a leadoff single in the seventh from Maxton Martin, Carlson Reed replaced Risley and rolled a double play to neutralize the threat. Reed faced the minimum in the eighth and ninth too.
With one on and one out in the bottom of the seventh, Palmer lined a double to put two runners in scoring position. Savage struck out two to keep Hub City in front. J’Briell Easley (S, 2) maintained the 5-4 lead with a scoreless eighth. Hub City sent the righty back to the bump for the ninth. A one out single from Palmer and two out walk to Florentino put the tying and winning runs aboard for Yordany De Los Santos, who rolled into a fielder’s choice to end the game.
Hub City and Greensboro battle for the series edge on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. ET. Caden Scarborough (1-5, 5.03 ERA) gets the start for the Spartanburgers against Draven Zeigler (4-4, 4.86 ERA).
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.
Read More: Hub City Spartanburgers