There’s No Doubtin’ Jeff Van Houten: Great Saturday Night Comeback

The Greensboro Grasshoppers have done it again. In the bottom of the 11th on Saturday night you saw or heard one of the most improbable comebacks in the history of Eugene Street. The Bellemede Bombers were at it again as the Hoppers were down 4-0, then 4-3, then 5-4, then 7-5, and then the Hoppers made their comeback and won the game 8-7 on Jeff Van Houten’s three-run walkoff homerun. Jared Gaston and James Guerrero also had key homers in the comeback affair.

The Hoppers keep on making the great comebacks in 2006. Gaby Sanchez did it on back-to-back nights in April and now the Grasshoppers have done it again. Local fans Kevin Moore (along with wife Sharon) and also Jason Stewart were at the game and both men told me on Monday they had not seen any thing like this before. The comeback was the talk of the town after Saturday’s finish and now the team will have to do it one more time when they get back home and off the road next Monday May 15th.

Moore and Stewart both agree that the Grasshoppers are a fun team watch. Manager Brandon Hyde has said the same thing on more than one occasion. The big deal about Saturday’s win was that the everything got started with 2 outs and not much of chance to get anything going. Hickory just left the door open enough for the Hoppers to find a slim way to win.

With two outs Jared Gaston got on with a single to center and then he stole second when the throw came down the pipe and nobody was covering. Gaston then took third on a wild pitch and up to the plate comes Brett Hayes. Hayes works the count 3-2 and takes a pitch that even your grandma would swing at. Hayes draws the walk and the Hoppers now have 2 men on and still 2 outs.

Here comes Van Houten up and as we said earlier,” There Is No Doubtin’ Jeff Van Houten”. Van Houten hits his 8th homer of the year and drives in RBI’s 18-20 with his three run shot to right field. The Hoppers win and Spaz says that the Grasshoppers are not through yet. Don Moore says just stay tuned and you will be in for more of the same. Bill Self say that this team will go all the way. Dan Atwell says that the Hoppers are the real deal. Tim Clever says that the Greensboro team is the best he has seen in 40 years.

We could go on and on but the truth is you’ll have to follow the Hoppers and see for yourself. One things for sure this could be the year that we have playoff baseball back in the Gate City.

One thought on “There’s No Doubtin’ Jeff Van Houten: Great Saturday Night Comeback

  1. Hats off to the Hoppers! I was on hand Saturday night and I’m telling you, that was the best game I’ve ever witnessed first hand or on TV! Unbelievable baseball!

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