Hoppers rally twice to pull one out:Bill Hass on Greensboro Grasshoppers Baseball

from Bill Hass with Bill on Baseball at www.gsohoppers.com…..

Hoppers rally twice to pull one out

Josh Adams wasn’t going to be denied again.

The Hoppers’ third baseman came to the plate for the eighth time Monday night with just one hit to show for his previous seven at-bats. This time, with a runner on third base and one out, Adams singled to right field to drive in the fourth run in the bottom of the 13th inning, completing Greensboro’s rally for a 12-11 win over Lexington.

“It was one of those things where I was down,” Adams said, “but this game comes around again when you don’t expect it. I’m just glad I got another chance to help my team.”

It was the 23rd hit of the night for the Hoppers and the 41st of the game. Greensboro also drew six walks and a hit batter, putting 30 runners on base. The Hoppers stranded 18 of them, many in the first six innings against Legends starter Mike Foltynewicz, the league’s best pitcher now that Jose Fernandez has moved up to Jupiter. Foltynewicz was tagged for 12 hits but only surrendered two runs.

The Hoppers fell behind 7-2 and still trailed 8-5 in the bottom of the ninth. They got one run on Ryan McIntyre’s RBI triple. With the bases loaded and two out, Austin Barnes drilled a shot to third baseman Chan Jong Moon, who gloved it but threw wild to first, allowing two runs to score and tie the game. After Aaron Senne was given an intentional walk, Adams grounded out to end the inning.

He had also flied out with a man on third to end the first inning and struck out with a man in scoring position to end the eighth inning.

After the Legends scored three times in the top of the 13th, Terrence Dayleg drew a one-out walk, Rand Smith got an infield single and Ryan Goetz followed with a flare single to load the bases. Lexington brought in its sixth pitcher, Evan Grills, who was greeted by a two-run double by Barnes. Senne singled to left field to tie the score and advance Barnes to third. Adams sliced a drive to right field that Mike Kvasnicka made a dive for and missed, and Barnes scored to end it. Even if the ball had been caught, it would have likely been a sacrifice fly.

“I just wanted to put the bat on the ball,” Adams said. “My approach was to pick out a zone and go after a pitch there.”

Barnes had five hits, including a pair of doubles. Rieger had a home run among his four hits and Senne, Goetz and McIntyre had three hits each.

“I don’t think I’ve ever had eight at-bats in a game,” Barnes said. “And maybe not five hits. In the 13th, he got ahead on a fastball and I guessed right that he would throw me a changeup.

“This team has been able to come back all year. We have confidence at the plate, especially in this park where anything can happen.”

It wasn’t a pretty game by any means. Hoppers manager David Berg was disturbed by his team’s mistakes, like not holding runners on, not being in the right position to field bunts and running the bases poorly.

“Those are the little things they look for in the major leagues,” said Berg, a seven-year veteran of the majors. “It’s frustrating to be making those mistakes at this stage of the season.”

The Hoppers are 2-3 in the second half. Their bullpen was extended when Charlie Lowell, just off the disabled list, was only able to go three innings. Greg Nappo pitched four, Johnny Omahen three and Chris Shafer three. With Fernandez and Adam Conley now in Jupiter, there’s a new rotation that, in its first time through, hasn’t pitched deep into a game. That needs to change and Jose Urena will get the chance Tuesday.