Figuereo’s Walk-Off Blast Splits Thursday Twin Bill
SPARTANBURG, S.C. — With 14 innings total already in the books, the Spartanburgers and IronBirds needed extras in game two of Thursday’s doubleheader, over four hours after first pitch of game one. Luckily for Hub City (3-3, 34-37), Gleider Figuereo was not in the mood to play a 16th inning
SPARTANBURG, S.C. — With 14 innings total already in the books, the Spartanburgers and IronBirds needed extras in game two of Thursday’s doubleheader, over four hours after first pitch of game one. Luckily for Hub City (3-3, 34-37), Gleider Figuereo was not in the mood to play a 16th inning and let Aberdeen (2-4, 26-45) have another crack at a win. Figuereo blasted the first walk-off home run in Spartanburgers history to split the doubleheader and claim a 4-3 game two win in eight, after Aberdeen won game one 7-2.
In game one, Josh Trentadue started strong for the ‘Burgers, with three outs on five pitches. The IronBirds got to the Hub City southpaw in the second. After Trentadue committed a throwing error to start the inning, Austin Overn singled in Ethan Anderson for the first run of the game. Trentadue picked Overn off at first, but walked the next batter, Leandro Arias, who would score on a triple from Ryan Stafford. Aberdeen plated another on an Anderson sacrifice fly in the top of the third.
Trailing by three, Hub City mounted a comeback against IronBirds starter Sebastian Gongora in the bottom of the fourth. Malcolm Moore poked a two-out single. Rafe Perich brought Moore home with his first High-A hit, a double down the left-field line. Casey Cook immediately plated Perich with a two-bagger to left-center. The ‘Burgers two-out rally cut Aberdeen’s lead to 3-2 after the fourth.
Josh Sanders kept the Spartanburgers in it with three scoreless innings of relief out of the bullpen. Christian Herberholz matched Sanders with 2 1/3 scoreless and three strikeouts.
The seventh got messy for Hub City. Seth Clark entered from the ‘pen, and after two bunts, two errors, two singles and a walk, Aberdeen posted a four-run frame and won by a 7-2 .
Not to be deterred, the Spartanburgers jumped all over the IronBirds’ game two starter, Cohen Achen, scoring a run in each of the first two innings.
A little luck got the scoring started in the bottom of the first; Figuereo hit a pop fly to left field, and Aberdeen outfielder Angel Tejada let it spill to the turf while Dylan Dreiling raced around the bases to score from first. In the second, Cal Stark plated Anthony Gutierrez with a sacrifice fly after Gutierrez singled to start the inning.
The Spartanburgers were forced to the bullpen early. Kolton Curtis was lifted three batters into his start. Victor Simeon finished a scoreless first before Dylan MacLean took over in the second. After setting down five straight, MacLean surrendered a solo home run to Aron Estrada with two outs in the third. Aberdeen tied the game in the fifth on a Griff O’Ferrall sacrifice fly.
Eric Loomis took over for the final two innings of regulation for Hub City. Wyatt Cheney did the same for Aberdeen. Both hung a pair of zeroes to force an eighth inning.
Mailon Felix (W, 1-2) pitched the eighth for Hub City. A bunt single and walk loaded the bases with nobody out. Felix rolled a double play and induced a popup to limit the damage to just the automatic runner coming across to score.
In the bottom of the eight, Keith Jones II served as the automatic runner and stole third base on the first pitch from Alejandro Mendez (L, 1-1). A few pitches later, Dreiling scored Jones on a sacrifice fly. A groundout brought Figuereo up with two outs and nobody on. In a full count, Figuereo smoked a fastball into the bullpens in right to win the game. He was greeted with an ice bath at the plate after displaying his bow-and-arrow celebration.
The Spartanburgers and IronBirds play game four on Friday night at 7:05 p.m. ET. Two lefties are slated to start. Dalton Pence (1-0, 0.00 ERA) makes his first High-A start for Hub City. Aberdeen is projected to go with top-15 Orioles prospect Luis De Leon (0-1, 3.57 ERA).
About the Hub City Spartanburgers
The Hub City Spartanburgers are in their inaugural season as the High-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers. 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.
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