Grasshoppers Win Series Opener, 7-4 

Greenville, S.C. – The Greensboro Grasshoppers plated five runs in the fourth inning while their pitchers stranded 10 Drive runners to take game one, 7-4, Tuesday night at Fluor Field.

Greenville notched 10 hits on the night with no extra-base hits. Christian Koss and Joe Davis each registered three hits. It’s Koss third three-hit game in his last four contests and has at least three hits in four of his last five games with a four-hit night on July 14. Davis, meanwhile, compiled his first multi-hit effort in a Drive uniform. Wil Dalton tallied two RBI on the night. Koss and Brandon Howlett also had an RBI.

Greenville’s starter, Brandon Walter, took the loss after allowing six runs, three earned, on six hits, one walk and one homer over 5.0 innings. He fanned eight. Brendan Cellucci tallied three punchouts in his inning of work.

Grant Ford earned the win. The righty tossed 5.0 innings and allowed two runs on four hits and two walks with four strikeouts.

Through the first three innings, neither team had a hit. Greenville had the only baserunner, a walk by Jaxx Groshans.

However, the Grasshoppers broke the game open in the fourth inning to take a 5-0 lead on a throwing error, Aaron Shackelford RBI single, Jared Triolo RBI double and Lolo Sanchez two-run homer.

Greenville got two runs back in the bottom half of the frame to make the score 5-2 in favor of the away team. Tyler Dearden drew a one-out walk and got to second on a single by Howlett. After a strikeout, Davis connected on a single to center field to load the bases. Then, with two outs, Dalton grounded a two-run single to center field.

The string of runs continued in the top of the fifth when the Grasshoppers scored a run on an RBI double by Shackelford to give Greensboro a 6-2.

Greensboro plated a run in their third-straight inning on a Matt Gorski sac fly. They led, 7-2.

The Drive threatened for multiple runs in the seventh inning but only got one. Elih Marrero drew a one out walk and got to third on back-to-back singles by Koss and Cannon. Two batters later, Howlett waled with the bases to make the score 7-3.

Greenville cut into the lead once again in the eighth inning. Tyler Esplin started things off with a single and got to second the following batter on a walk by Dalton. After two consecutive outs, Koss laced an RBI single to left but was thrown out at second for the third out of the inning. Greensboro led, 7-4.

Game two is scheduled for 7:05 pm Wednesday at Fluor Field. The Drive are slated to throw Brian Van Belle while the Grasshoppers are set to start Braxton Ashcraft.