Who’ll stop the Game:Not two-and a half inches of rain…..

Hoppers Fan 16 in Third Straight One-Run Loss

Dominguez Hits First Home Run as a Hopper

Greensboro, N.C. – Greensboro’s bullpen extended its current streak of not allowing an earned run to 32 innings Saturday and the Hoppers pitching staff fanned a season-high 16 batters only to suffer their third consecutive one-run loss at the hands of West Virginia, 6-5.

Mike Stanton put the Hoppers on the board in the second inning with his tenth home run of the season; it was also his second in as many nights to leave the park.

He was joined by Justin Jacobs and Matt Dominguez in the home run festivities, but the hole that starter Kyle Kaminska left was too deep for the Hoppers.

After not allowing an earned run in his last 11 innings of work, Kaminska gave up all six Power runs by allowing at least one run in each of the first four innings. Despite suffering his second loss of the season, Kaminska did strike out a career-high six batters in his five innings of work.

The bullpen was again called upon to turn off the Power and allowed just one hit as Don Czyz, Corey Madden and Garrett Parcell combined to pitch the final four frames. Czyz and Madden struck out nine of the ten batters they faced in the sixth through eighth innings before Parcell finished the game; he struck out one.

Greensboro’s 16 strikeouts were the most in a single game this season and came after an hour-and-14-minte rain delay prior to the first pitch.

The loss dropped Greensboro to 28-27 on the season and the Hoppers remained at five and a half games back thanks to a Lake County loss.

Greensboro closes its four-game series against West Virginia on Sunday with a 5:00 p.m. game; it is also the final game of an eight-game homestand.

Postgame Quick Stats
Win – Roque Mercedes (2-4); Loss – Kyle Kaminska (2-2); Save – Rob Bryson (2)
Time – 2:39 (1:14 delay); Attendance – 6,357
*****from Justin Stottlemyre Hoppers’ media assistant*****