Spartanburgers Outdone in Shootout to Start Series with Greensboro

SPARTANBURG, S.C. — A barrage of power began Hub City’s first contest after the All-Star Break. The Spartanburgers (6-16, 40-48) and Greensboro Grasshoppers (14-8, 55-33) combined for eight home runs as Greensboro won 10-6.

Sammy Stafura started the game with a single off Izack Tiger (L, 0-4). Edward Florentino followed up with a run-scoring double, and Yordany De Los Santos blitzed a slider for a home run. Three batters in, Greensboro had a 3-0 lead. An out later, Easton Carmichael tacked on with a solo shot to the right field corner.

Bryan Mena (W, 5-4) took the mound in the bottom of the first with a four-run lead. The lead was quickly trimmed by Casey Cook. After missing the first half of the season with injury, Cook made his first Hub City start of the year batting leadoff. The lefty took the second pitch of the night from Mena out of the ballpark to right. Hector Osorio also smacked a solo home run in the first.

In the second, the Grasshoppers’ Bryan Sanchez whacked a leadoff home run against Tiger. Two batters later, Edward Florentino left the yard. The two solo shots extended Greensboro’s lead to 6-2. Antonis Macias mashed an opposite-field laser over the left center field fence to cut the deficit to three.

After the first two innings, the offenses went stagnant. Enrique Segura and Ismael Agreda tossed a combined three scoreless for Hub City, and Mena did not allow a hit from the third through the fifth.

Joe Adametz couldn’t contain Greensboro in the sixth. First baseman Jared Jones led off the inning with a single, advanced to second on a wild pitch, moved to third on a flyout to right, then scored on a fielder’s choice groundout. After Jacob Bimbi retired Hub City in order, the Grasshoppers plated two more in the seventh. Stafura doubled and later scored on a throwing error during a rundown. With two outs, three straight singles tacked on another Greensboro run.

Trailing by six, 9-3, heading into the bottom of the seventh, Bimbi walked each of the first two batters. After a strikeout, Cal Stark hit a towering three-run homer over the left field foul pole to get Hub City back within three. Bimbi got a groundout and a strikeout to end the inning. He remained in for a scoreless eighth.

Adrian Rodriguez pitched a one-two-three top of the eighth for Hub City. Case Matter was asigned the top of the ninth. He gave up a double to De Los Santos with one out in the inning. An out later, Carmichael sizzled an RBI single up the middle. With a four-run lead in the bottom of the ninth, Carlson Reed wasted no time and closed out the Spartanburgers.

Hub City and Greensboro battle on Saturday afternoon in game two of the series. The top prospect on each team is scheduled to start. Righty Caden Scarborough (0-2, 3.42 ERA) pitched for Hub City against Greensboro’s Seth Hernandez (3-1, 3.73 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 4:35 p.m. ET.

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: [email protected]. For media inquiries, email: [email protected]. Follow along with the Spartanburgers on social media.