Preview: Rogers returns to the mound

Today's Preview: The Grasshoppers (A, Marlins) return to First National Bank Field for the first time since May 24 to open a 3-game series against the Power (A, Pirates) on Friday. Greensboro is coming off a shutout win in Lakewood to avoid a sweep, and West Virginia comes to down after consecutive rain outs in Lexington. The Power have lost four straight games and nine of their last 11 entering this weekend's series in Greensboro. The Hoppers and Power are slated to play six total games in 2018.
Hoppers Hurlers: Trevor Rogers, 20, makes his third career start and second at home. He has worked 3.0 innings in each of his first two starts, striking out a total of nine batters while walking three in his 6.0 innings of work in 2018. The Marlins selected Rogers in the first round (13th overall) in the June 2017 First-Year Player Draft out of Carlsbad (N.M.) High School. The 6'6" left-hander signed for $3.4M following a High-School All-American First Team season in 2017. He entered the season as Miami's No. 5 Prospect according to MLB.com. In his final season at Carlsbad High, he went 11-0 with a 0.33 ERA, 134 strikeouts and 13 walks while throwing three no-hitters.
About Last Night: Ryan Lillie tossed a second straight complete-game shutout in a fog-shortened win, 2-0, at Lakewood on Thursday. Play halted in the middle of the seventh inning when the fog thickened. Zach Sullivan drove in the game's only runs in the top of the fifth inning, belting a 2-run home run (2) to score Cameron Baranek. Lillie (4-1) struck out four while walking none and working around three hits in 6.0 innings. He opened by retiring the first 10 batters he faced. Kyle Young (1-2) took the loss, working all 7.0 innings for Lakewood, allowing two runs on four hits with six strikeouts and two walks. Lakewood manager Marty Malloy was ejected in the middle of the seventh, arguing the game should have continued.
Lillie Lille!: One night after Lakewood's Will Stewart tossed a complete-game shutout, Ryan Lillie fired his second gem of the season, working all 6.0 innings of Thursday's fog-shortened win in Lakewood. Lillie tossed a complete-game shutout in his previous start as well, a 7.0-inning gem in Game 1 of a May 26 doubleheader at Hagerstown. He is the first Sally League starter with two complete-game shutouts this season and one of only two in the league with two complete games, along with Kannapolis' John Parke. Lillie ranks tied for fourth in the SAL with a 0.94 WHIP.
Lil' ERA in May: Ryan Lillie lowered his ERA to 2.38 this season and finished May with a 1.56 ERA (6 ER/34.2 IP) and 32 strikeouts in six games (six starts). In his last five starts, he is 3-1 with a 0.92 ERA (3 ER/29.1 IP) since May 7. Lillie has not allowed a run in three of his last four starts since May 12, posting a 0.78 ERA (2 ER/23.0 IP) in that span.
Scoreless Streak Snapped: When Zach Sullivan hit a fifth-inning home run on Thursday, Greensboro snapped its 20-inning scoreless streak, dating back to the Tuesday's series opener in Lakewood. The Hoppers did not score in the final seven innings on Tuesday, all nine innings on Wednesday, and the first four innings on Thursday - the team's longest drought of the season.
No Free Passes: For the 10th time in 2018, Greensboro pitching allowed no walks to the opposition in Ryan Lillie's complete-game shutout win on Thursday in Lakewood.

Date Opponent Pitchers (IP) Walks/Strikeouts
5/31 @LWD Lillie (6.0) 0/4
5/29 @LWD Miller (7.0), Neubeck (1.0) 0/10
5/26-1 @HAG Lillie (7.0) 0/4
5/20-2 LWD Beggs (4.0), Hock (3.0) 0/5
5/20-1 LWD Cabrera (7.0) 0/5
5/19 LWD Miller (6.0), Rodriguez (2.0), Neubeck (1.0) 0/6
5/10 @ASH Puckett (3.0), Bautista (3.0), Neubeck (2.0) 0/13
4/22 CSC Puckett (7.0), Neubeck (1.0), Frohwirth (1.0) 0/8
4/17 @LWD Puckett (7.0), Frohwirth (1.0), Bautista (1.0), Neubeck (0.2) 0/12
4/8 HIC Lillie (5.0), Reed (2.0), Peace (1.0), Frohwirth (1.0) 0/11
Cabrera's Command: Edward Cabrera (1-5) suffered a hard-luck loss, allowing two runs on six hits over 7.0 innings on Wednesday in Lakewood. The right-hander struck out two and walked one while matching the longest outing of his season and career. Cabrera's only other 7.0-inning outing came May 20 against Lakewood when he spun a complete game in Game 1 of a doubleheader.
Alonso in the Clutch: Hoppers first baseman Lazaro Alonso continues to impress at the plate when batting with runners in scoring position and two outs, batting .538 (7-13) with three doubles, a home run, and 10 RBI in those instances. The slugger is batting .444 (12-27) with runners in scoring position in general. As a team, the Grasshoppers as a team are batting .255 in RISP and two outs.

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