GREENSBORO, NC - The Greensboro Grasshoppers used six unanswered runs from the second through fifth innings to soar past the Delmarva Shorebirds 6-3 on Friday night at First National Bank Field. Delmarva has now lost seven of its last eight.Dylan Lee (3-3) earned the win for the Grasshoppers (23-17) after
GREENSBORO, NC - The Greensboro Grasshoppers used six unanswered runs from the second through fifth innings to soar past the Delmarva Shorebirds 6-3 on Friday night at First National Bank Field. Delmarva has now lost seven of its last eight.
Dylan Lee (3-3) earned the win for the Grasshoppers (23-17) after six innings of three-run four hit ball. He walked one and struck out four. Matthias Dietz (0-4) took the loss or the Shorebirds (16-23) after only lasting four-plus innings, allowing six runs (three earned) on five hits. It was his shortest start in over a month. Ryley MacEachern picked up his first save with a perfect ninth.
Collin Woody laced a two-out double in the top of the first inning. Gerrion Grim followed by bashing a two-run homer to the picnic area in left center. It was Grim's sixth home run of the year, a new career high, and put the Shorebirds up 2-0.
Greensboro responded to tie it in the second. Colby Lusignan was hit by a pitch to start the inning, then after a flyout, Justin Twine rocked a line drive that one-hopped the wall in center. Lusignan scored on the double to make it 2-1, and Twine moved up to third on a throwing error. A Jarett Rindfleisch groundout brought home Twine to tie the game.
The Grasshoppers took the lead in the bottom of the third on a walk, single, and James Nelson RBI single. In the bottom of the fifth Luis Pintor walked, Aaron Knapp reached on an error, and Corey Bird bunted his way aboard to load the bases with nobody out. It was Nelson who came through again at the plate, tagging a two-run single into center to make it 5-2 and knock Dietz out of the game. A Boo Vasquez sac fly to right brought home a third run in the frame two batters later.
Grim had an answer for the Shorebirds in the top of the sixth, unleashing a two-out solo home run to the construction zone in right center. Grim now has seven home runs on the year, tied with Jake Ring for the team lead and tied for fourth in the South Atlantic League.
The bullpen settled in from there for Greensboro as L.J. Brewster and MacEachern combined for three perfect innings to seal the deal.
Woody and Grim combined for all four hits for the Shorebirds, each going 2-for-4. Alejandro Juvier drew a walk against Lee as the only other Shorebird baserunner. Frank Crinella snapped a seven-game hitting streak with an 0-for-3 night.
Nelson finished 3-for-4 with three RBIs to lead the way for the Grasshoppers, while Bird went 2-for-4 with a run and stolen base, and Aaron Knapp scored twice.
Jhon Peluffo and Matt Trowbridge combined for four scoreless innings out of the 'pen for Delmarva.
The Shorebirds now have three multi-home run games this season (Ryan McKenna, Jake Ring), losing all three times.
The loss drops the Shorebirds into a tie for last in the SAL Northern Division. The Hickory Crawdads split a doubleheader in Kannapolis on Friday night. Both teams are now eight back of first-place Hagerstown.
The Shorebirds will try to get back into the series on Saturday night. Lefty Travis Seabrooke (1-2, 5.34) faces left-hander Braxton Garrett (1-0, 0.93), the No. 7 overall pick in last year's MLB Draft. First pitch is 7:00 p.m., and pregame coverage on Fox Sports AM 960 and the MiLB First Pitch app begins at 6:45 p.m. with Will DeBoer on the call.
