Hoppers singing the 'Extra-Inning Blues'

GREENSBORO ― For the third time in a week, the Greensboro Grasshoppers ended nine innings locked in a tie score.

And for the third time in a week, the Hoppers lost in extra innings.

Kennedy Corona hit a two-run single in the 10th inning, and A.J. Lee added a two-run double as the Asheville Tourists rallied to beat Greensboro 12-6 at First National Bank Field on Tuesday night.

Corona finished 2-for-4 with three RBIs to lead the Tourists, who coughed up a three-run lead in the ninth inning before winning in the 10th.

Incredibly, Hoppers reliever Wandi Montout (3-4) has taken the loss in all three of those extra-inning games. The right-hander faced just three batters in the 10th Tuesday and allowed four runs ― including the runner placed at second to start extra innings ― on a walk, a hit batsman and Corona’s two-run single.

Right-hander Garrett Leonard took over for Montout and gave up the rest of the runs.

In the three extra-inning games, Montout has allowed 13 runs ― 10 earned ― on seven hits, four walks and two hit batsmen in a combined 1 ⅔ innings. Montout’s ERA jumped from 3.70 to 7.00 in his last four outings.

The Hoppers didn’t go quietly, scoring a run in the eighth inning and three in the ninth to tie the score 5-5.

Versatile catcher Endy Rodriguez went 2-for-4 with a double and two RBIs, and his sacrifice fly with one out in the ninth tied it.

Dariel Lopez went 2-for-5 with a solo home run. Yoyner Fajardo, Fabricio Macias and Francisco Acuna all had two hits apiece for the Hoppers.

NOTES

• First baseman Jacob Gonzalez went 1-for-5 with an RBI single in the 10th. He has been one of the South Atlantic League's best players since his promotion from Class-A Bradenton on May 10. He has hit safely in 26 of 32 games since then, with 11 multi-hit games. Gonzalez is 40-for-124 (.323) with seven doubles, a triple, five home runs and 17 RBIs.
• Since June 1, utility player Ernny Ordoñez has hit safely in seven of 10 games, with four home runs, two doubles and 13 RBIs in that span
• Center fielder Hudson Head, a 21-year-old rated by MLB Pipeline as the No. 20 prospect in Pittsburgh's farm system, went 0-for-3 with a walk, a run scored and a stolen base. He has reached base in 34 of his last 39 games.