BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — A pair of blasts from Luke Hanson led the Spartanburgers (14-25, 48-57) to a 6-1 victory over the Hot Rods (26-13, 73-32) Saturday at Bowling Green Ballpark.
Hub City jumped on top of Bowling Green in the first. After two outs from starter Dominic Fritton, Hanson blasted a solo home run. Fritton bounced back with a scoreless second, but Hanson got him again in the third. Two singles and a hit batter loaded the bases with one out. Hanson yanked a grand slam, the first of his professional career, to put Hub City in front 5-0.
Izack Tiger provided a second straight dominant start. After two scoreless innings, Bryan Broecker led off the third with a single and took second on an error. Two groundouts brought him around to score an unearned run. Tiger bounced back and struck out the side in the fourth.
Fritton walked a pair in the fifth, but he escaped to finish off his night. Owen Proksch took over for Tiger in the bottom of the fifth. He started his night with two walks but responded with a pair of strikeouts and a lineout.
Noah Beal pitched a scoreless sixth for Bowling Green. Jonathan Russell worked a one-two-three top of the seventh. He let up a leadoff double to Quincy Scott in the eighth but used a double play to hang another zero.
Brock Porter entered for Hub City in the sixth. Bowling Green got two runners on and three straight strikeouts ended the threat. Porter pitched a clean seventh, and Case Matter struck out the side in the eighth.
Against Jadon Bercovich in the ninth, Arturo De Freitas led off with a single. Paxton Kling walked, and Hanson singled in another run with two outs, his sixth RBI of the night. Jesus Gamez retired the side in the ninth.
Hub City tries for a five-win week on Sunday afternoon at 2:05 p.m. ET. Enrique Segura (1-3, 7.04 ERA) is scheduled to start for Hub City against Bowling Green’s Dominic Niman (7-3, 4.31 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.
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