Hoppers lose series opener in Winston-Salem

WINSTON-SALEM ― Duke Ellis and Luis Mieses hit home runs, just enough offense for the Winston-Salem Dash to defeat the Greensboro Grasshoppers 3-2 in their series opener at Truist Stadium on Monday night.

Big right-hander Adrian Florencio (1-8) took the loss for Greensboro, allowing both the home runs and three runs in three innings. Florencio has struck out 43 in 36 ⅔ innings this season, but he has surrendered 12 home runs in 11 appearances.

The Hoppers scored single runs when Endy Rodriguez raced home on a wild pitch in the fourth inning, and when Abrahan Gutierrez hit a sacrifice fly in the fifth.

But Greensboro went 0-for-8 with runners in scoring positions, stranded eight baserunners, and didn’t manage an extra-base hit in the game.

Yoyner Fajardo went 1-for-3 with two walks and a run scored for the Hoppers. Sammy Siani was 1-for-3 with a walk.

The Hoppers bullpen was effective, with three relievers ― Logan Hofmann, Santiago Florez and Cameron Junker ― combining to work five scoreless innings, facing just two batters over the minimum.

NOTES

• Greensboro is 8-8 in one-run games this season. The Hoppers have won seven of their last 10 one-run games.
• Leadoff hitter Yoyner Fajardo has hit safely in 20 of 25 games played, with 10 multi-hit games. Fajardo is 31-for-94 and his .330 batting average would rank second in the Sally League if he had enough plate appearances to qualify.
• Center fielder Hudson Head, a 21-year-old rated by MLB Pipeline as the No. 20 prospect in Pittsburgh's farm system, missed his third consecutive game. Head was hit by a pitch in the leg Friday and lifted from that game. Head has hits in 16 of his last 19 games. He has reached base in 26 of his last 29 games.