'Burgers’ Big Sixth Inning Helps to Even Series

GREENVILLE, S.C. — An outpouring of offense in the sixth inning led Hub City (11-13) to its second straight win over Greenville (13-12), a 7-1 victory on Friday at Fluor Field. The ‘Burgers provided plenty of offense for Joe Adametz (W, 2-1), who carried the load on the mound with career highs in innings pitched and strikeouts.

As a unit, Hub City’s offense collected 14 hits. Six of those came in a six-run top of the sixth inning, which tied a single-inning season high. The Spartanburgers sent 11 batters to the plate in the frame.

Anthony Eyanson kept the ‘Burgers off the board into the fourth inning. Greenville’s starter struck out seven of the first nine batters he faced. He exited with two outs in the fourth and gave way to Brandon Neely (L, 0-1).

Hub City starter J’Briell Easley set down the side in order in the first. Two walks and a miscommunication on a fly ball in the outfield loaded the bases with no outs to start the bottom of the second. Antonio Anderson singled in a run before Easley recorded three straight outs to limit the damage.

Adametz came out of the bullpen to begin the third in place of Easley and promptly retired five Drive hitters in a row. The southpaw completed six scoreless innings, a career best. Adametz also set a new career high with eight strikeouts, including the final three batters he faced.

Hub City rallied with two outs on Neely in the fifth to tie the game. Chandler Pollard doubled and Rafe Perich drove him in with an RBI single. Yeison Morrobel led off the top of the sixth with a double to center field. Quincy Scott scored him in with a single to take the lead. Two more singles loaded the bases with two outs, and a two-run single from Perich ended the day for Neely. Joey Gartrell walked the first two batters he faced out of the bullpen to bring in another run. Morrobel landed the final blow of the frame with a two-run single. The Spartanburgers did not score in the final three innings against Gartrell and PJ Labriola.

A series lead hangs in the balance when Hub City and Greenville match up at 6:45 p.m. ET Saturday. RHP Ismael Agreda (0-2, 6.29 ERA) takes the baseball for the ‘Burgers, and Greenville’s starter is TBD. The Spartanburgers’ next home series begins May 5. The Wilmington Blue Rocks, High-A farm club of the Washington Nationals, are in town. Tuesday is Arturo Disla bobblehead night; tickets are available online at hubcityspartanburgers.com/tickets.

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.