Road recap: Hoppers adapt to roster moves

ASHEVILLE ― Endy Rodriguez hit a three-run home run and Sammy Siani went 2-for-3 and threw two runners out from right field, leading the Greensboro Grasshoppers in an 8-4 loss to the Asheville Tourists at McCormick Field on Saturday night.

The Hoppers (20-23) have won five of their last seven games heading into Sunday afternoon's road trip finale against the Tourists (16-27).

Hard-throwing starter Jared Jones, a 20-year-old right-hander rated as Pittsburgh's No. 12 prospect by MLB Pipeline, took a tough-luck loss. Jones (2-3) walked one and struck out 10 in five strong innings, allowing just one run. Jones ranks third in the South Atlantic league with 54 strikeouts in 38 2/3 innings.

Rodriguez played second base Saturday night. The versatile 21-year-old is rated by MLB Pipeline as Pittsburgh's No. 7 prospect, and he has played four positions ― catcher, first base, second base and left field ― this season.

Rodriguez has stepped up since the promotions of sluggers Henry Davis and Matt Gorski to Class-AA Altoona. The switch-hitting Rodgriguez has batted .313 with four home runs and nine RBIs in 15 games in May. He's 15-for-44 (.341) since moving into the No. 3 slot in Greensboro's batting order.

That spot in the lineup is protected by cleanup hitter Jacob Gonzalez, who went 1-for-4 Saturday and has been among the South Atlantic League's best players since his promotion to Greensboro on May 10.

First baseman Gonzalez has hit safely in 12 of 15 games since then, with seven multi-hit games. Gonzalez is 22-for-55 (.400) with four home runs and 10 RBIs.

Siani, a 21-year-old outfielder, is 10-for-34 (.294) in his last 10 games, raising his season batting average to .210. Siani was the 37th overall pick in the 2019 draft, a high school player selected between the first and second rounds.

He threw out a runner at the plate and a runner trying to stretch a single into a double during Saturday's game.

MOVES

The Hoppers started the road trip without Matt Gorski. The 24-year-old center fielder/first baseman was promoted to Class-AA Altoona after hitting three home runs Sunday afternoon.

Gorski more than earned it. At the time of the promotion, he led the South Atlantic League in home runs (17), extra-base hits (22), RBIs (37), runs scored (34), slugging percentage (.754), OPS (1.131) and games played (37). Gorski was batting .294 with a team-high nine stolen bases. He had hit safely in 10 of his last 12 games, and he reached base in 33 of 37 games played.

Gorski hit the ground running in Altoona, belting a three-run home run in his first game for the Curve on Tuesday after making the drive from Greensboro on Monday.

The vacant spot on the Grasshoppers' roster was filled by a familiar face.

Fabricio Macias, a 24-year-old outfielder from Mexico, joined the Hoppers on an injury rehab assignment. Macias has played just eight games this season, five in Class-A Bradenton and now three with the High-A Hoppers.

Macias batted .316 with six home runs and 38 RBIs in 44 games for Greensboro last summer, including a Memorial Day game in which he hit two grand slams. He was promoted to Class-AAA Indianapolis and batted .245 in 38 games.

NOTES

• Yoyner Fajardo went 1-for-4 Saturday. He has hit safely in 15 of 19 games played, with eight multi-hit games. Fajardo is 24-for-73 and his .329 batting average would lead the Sally League if he had enough plate appearances to qualify.
• Hudson Head, a 21-year-old outfielder rated by MLB Pipeline as the No. 22 prospect in Pittsburgh's farm system, went 1-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored. Head has hits in 14 of his last 16 games. He has reached base in 23 of his last 26 games.
• Jacob Gonzalez, the 23-year-old son of former big-league All-Star Luis Gonzalez, batted .393 with 11 doubles, four home runs and 16 RBIs in 24 games for the Bradenton Marauders before his promotion to Greensboro. He was a second-round pick of the San Francisco Giants in 2017, turning pro right out of high school, and is in his fifth minor-league season.