Spartanburgers Settle for Series Victory Against Greenville
SPARTANBURG, S.C. — A day after setting a new franchise record with 16 runs, Hub City (12-9) was silenced at the plate by Greenville (9-11) in a 6-1 loss Sunday afternoon. Drive starter Payton Tolle and reliever Dalton Rogers (W, 2-0) allowed just four base hits and one run across
SPARTANBURG, S.C. — A day after setting a new franchise record with 16 runs, Hub City (12-9) was silenced at the plate by Greenville (9-11) in a 6-1 loss Sunday afternoon. Drive starter Payton Tolle and reliever Dalton Rogers (W, 2-0) allowed just four base hits and one run across nine innings of work. Cal Stark took Rogers deep to left for his first home run of the season and the one run for the Spartanburgers.
Hub City starter Jose Gonzalez (L, 0-2) was charged with four runs, but only one run for the righty was earned. Wilian Bormie and Mailon Felix helped carry the load for the Spartanburgers pitching staff. Bormie recorded four outs without giving up a run. Felix set down seven Drive batters while only surrendering one run.
The Drive capitalized on a first inning error to strike first against Gonzalez. Nazzan Zanetello reached on a throwing error, then, with two outs, Zach Ehrhard singled to extend the inning; Miguel Bleis followed up with a three-run home run to carry Greenville to an early advantage.
Hub City struggled to get anything going against Tolle. The tall lefty set down the side in order in the first and worked around a leadoff single from Gleider Figuereo in the second by striking out the next three. Tolle tacked on three more strikeouts in the third to strand a leadoff walk.
Greenville added one more run to its lead in the third off the starter Gonzalez. After a pair of two-out walks, Juan Montero singled home Zach Ehrhard for a lone run in the inning. Tolle continued to freeze Hub City at the plate. The Greenville starter finished his day after four innings of scoreless work with nine strikeouts.
Rogers relieved Tolle in the in the top of the fifth and set down the Spartanburgers in order in back-to-back innings thanks to four strikeouts. Greenville scratched across another run of insurance in the sixth. Anthony Susac walked the bases loaded and Nelly Taylor Jr. bounced an infield single to make it 5-0, Drive. Bleis then whacked his second home run of the day to lead off the seventh inning against Felix.
Hub City’s one run came in the home half of the seventh. With one out, Stark ambushed Rogers and launched a ball over the high left-field wall for his first home run of the season. The Spartanburgers threatened against Rogers in both the eighth and ninth innings but stranded runners in both.
The Spartanburgers finish the first I-85 rivalry series against the Drive with four wins out of six games. Hub City remains tied with Rome at the top of the South Division of the South Atlantic League. The Spartanburgers visit the Emperors, High-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves, for a six-game series next week. Game one is slated for a 6:00 p.m. ET first pitch on Tuesday night.
About the Hub City Spartanburgers
The Hub City Spartanburgers, the High-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers, embark on their inaugural season in April 2025. 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.
The Motor of the Hub City: Why Professional Baseball Returned to Spartanburg
This article was originally published in the June 2025 edition of the Texas Rangers magazine.
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