Hoppers' late rally ends in 10th-inning loss

GREENSBORO ― Yoyner Fajardo grounded out on a 3-2 pitch with the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the 10th inning, and Greensboro’s late rally fell short as the Grasshoppers lost 10-9 to the Hickory Crawdads in Sunday afternoon’s series finale at First National Bank Field.

The Hoppers forced extra innings by rallying for three runs in the bottom of the ninth. Endy Rodriguez hit his 13th home run of the season for the first run, and Eli Wilson hit a two-out, two-run shot over the left-field fence to tie it.

Greensboro reliever Eddy Yean (3-3) pitched the 10th and took the tough-luck loss when the inherited runner scored an unearned run. Yean retired all three batters he faced. But Keyber Rodriguez ― the runner placed at second to start extra innings ― took third on Aaron Zavala’s groundout, then scored on Evan Carter’s sacrifice fly. Yean got Thomas Saggese on a grounder, but the damage was done.

The Hoppers loaded the bases in the bottom of the 10th.

Dariel Lopez's one-out single to left was hit too hard to allow Luke Brown to score from second base. Winning pitcher Tyree Thompson (1-0) struck out Ernny Ordoñez, then intentionally walked Rodriguez to load the bases. He ran the count full on Fajardo, then coaxed a grounder to first base to end it.

Rodriguez finished 4-for-5 with two home runs and three RBIs. Wilson was 4-for-5 with his fourth home run of the season and four RBIs.

Hudson Head went 2-for-4 with his seventh home run of the season, a solo shot in the fourth inning.

Greensboro starter Justin Meis deserved better. The right-hander gave up two runs in five innings, striking out six, and the Hoppers led 6-2 in the sixth inning.

But Hickory scored six runs off relievers Ricky DeVito and Dante Mendoza in the seventh inning, a rally capped by Scott Kapers’ three-run homer over the batter’s eye in straightaway center field.

NOTES

• Greensboro is 16-14 in one-run games this season. The Hoppers are 15-9 in their last 24 one-run games.
• Yoyner Fajardo has two of the Hoppers’ four walk-off hits this season, but couldn’t convert a third Sunday.
• First baseman Jacob Gonzalez went 0-for-1 and came out of the game after being hit in the arm with an 0-2 fastball from Robby Ahlstrom in the third inning. … Gonzalez has owned Hickory this season, going 19-for-40 (.475) in 12 games, with three doubles, a triple, three home runs, 12 runs and 10 RBIs.
• Endy Rodriguez went 6-for-12 (.500) with four home runs, two walks, five runs scored and seven RBIs in the three-game series against the Crawdads, raising his season batting average to .285. The versatile 22-year-old is rated by MLB Pipeline as Pittsburgh's No. 6 prospect, and he has played four positions ― catcher, first base, second base and left field ― this season.