Spartanburgers Prevail Past Rain to win Saturday Night
GREENSBORO, N.C. — Nearly five hours after first pitch, Hub City (30-26) prevailed over Greensboro (36-19) with a 7-4 final. The game was dragged out by a two hour rain delay that put a pause on the action in the eighth inning. Luis Marquez continued his hot start to his
GREENSBORO, N.C. — Nearly five hours after first pitch, Hub City (30-26) prevailed over Greensboro (36-19) with a 7-4 final. The game was dragged out by a two hour rain delay that put a pause on the action in the eighth inning.
Luis Marquez continued his hot start to his Spartanburgers tenure. Hub City’s second baseman contributed a single and sacrifice fly Friday and followed up with two singles and three RBIs Saturday. Through two games, Marquez is 3-for-4 with four runs driven in.
Greensboro opened the scoring in the bottom of the third. The Grasshoppers took advantage of a couple of free passes from ‘Burgers’ starter D.J. McCarty and plated a run on an RBI groundout.
Hub City responded with a crooked number in the in the top of the fourth. Three walks and two singles led to three runs. Casey Cook drove in Anthony Gutierrez, then Marquez poked an opposite-field knock to score Cook and Quincy Scott. The Spartanburgers led 3-1 after Marquez’s single and would be frontrunners the rest of the way.
Defense helped finish off the final inning of McCarty’s day. After the first two Grasshoppers reached base in the fourth, first baseman Arturo Disla erased the lead runner at third on a bunt. The next batter, Kalae Harrison, lined out to Disla who doubled off the runner at first to finish the frame.
Hub City continued to pile on offense in the fifth. Back-to-back singles from Gutierrez and Cook had runners at the corners with one out for Cal Stark. Stark stung a ball to the wall in left; Gutierrez tagged and scored to up the Spartanburgers advantage to three.
Eric Loomis silenced the Grasshoppers bats in the fifth and sixth. The first Hub City reliever of the day did not give up a hit and tallied four strikeouts, three of them looking. The Spartanburgers piled on with their at-bats in the sixth. A walk, hit batter and wild pitch put two in scoring position before an out was recorded. Marquez grounded out to score the lead runner. Keith Jones II followed it up with a screaming two-run home run to right.
Hub City’s Mailon Felix and Greensboro’s Ryan Harbin traded scoreless innings in the seventh. After the Spartanburgers were held scoreless in the eighth, the game was put on hold due to rain for two hours.
At around 11:00 p.m., the contest resumed with Joey Danielson on the mound. He gave up a home run to Omar Alfonzo to start the bottom of the eighth, cutting the lead to 7-2. After five straight outs for Danielson, the Grasshoppers rallied in the ninth. A double, walk and error ended the night for Danielson an out shy of victory. Seth Clark (S, 3) came in and gave up a two-run hit to Alfonzo. A groundout finally put an end to a third win of the week for Hub City.
The series finale between Hub City and Greensboro begins at 2:00 p.m. ET Sunday. Right-handers Jose Gonzalez (1-4, 2.50 ERA) and Hung-Leng Chang (3-2, 5.75 ERA) face off on the hill.
About the Hub City Spartanburgers
The Hub City Spartanburgers are in their inaugural season as the High-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers. 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 864-658-4206 or email: tickets@hcspartanburgers.com For media inquiries, email: iunsworth@hcspartanburgers.com. Follow along with the Spartanburgers on social media.
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