Six-Run Fifth Inning Carries Hoppers to 9-2 Win Over BlueClaws

LAKEWOOD, NJ - Greensboro scored six times in the fifth inning, capped by an Angel Reyes grand slam, in topping the BlueClaws 9-2 on Saturday night at FirstEnergy Park.

The BlueClaws (4-6/33-46) have now dropped four straight games, including the first three in the four-game series with Greensboro (7-3/45-35).

Reyes led the offense with two hits and five RBIs while Casey Solits and Zach Sullivan also drove in two for the Grasshoppers.

The BlueClaws scored first for the third straight game in the series, taking the lead on a mammoth home run over the left-center field fence, his fourth home run of the year, that put the BlueClaws up 1-0.

Meanwhile, Drew Anderson retired the first 11 hitters he faced, fanning four. But Josh Naylor got Greensboro going with a double and Angel Reyes tied the game with an RBI single.

In the fifth, the Hoppers blew the game open. With two on and one out, Zach Sullivan singled to right driving in two before a hit batter and a walk. Then Reyes came back up, fouled off a few pitches, and hit a grand slam onto the berm in left field. It was the second grand slam allowed by the BlueClaws this year (Ademar Rifaela of Delmarva on May 22nd) and put the Hoppers up 7-1.

Anderson, who fell to 1-3, came out after the grand slam, allowing seven runs in 4.2 innings with six hits, one walk and seven strikeouts.

Steven Farnworth (3-3) gave up one hit and one run - the Tomscha home run - over six innings to earn the win.

Greensboro added two runs in the eighth off Luis Morales and Grenny Cumana added an RBI double for the BlueClaws in the ninth.

One bright spot for the BlueClaws was left-hander Jeff Singer, who joined the team earlier in the day from Williamsport. Singer faced eight hitters and retired all of them, with three strikeouts (one reached on a wild pitch). Singer, who played with the Camden RiverSharks last year, signed with the Phillies in October.

The series with Greensboro finishes up on Sunday night at 7:05 pm. LHP Tyler Gilbert (4-6) starts for Lakewood against LHP Justin Jacome (0-1).

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