Hopper’s Wednesday Mid-Week Wakeup

The Hoppers were droppers of their early morning mid-week game up in West Virginia. The contest got underway at 10:36 AM and Greensboro got off to a great start but the ending was way too rough for the boys to handle. The Hoppers went out in front early and rode a 6-2 lead into the botttom of the ninth inning but the Power turned on the power at Appalachian Power Field and the Brewers farm-hands handed the Marlins Class A kids a come from behind 7-6 loss. The Grasshoppers fall 7-6 after being out in front 6-2 but the lead would not hold up.

Dane Renkert gets the win for West Virginia to go 1-1 and Hoppers reliever Blake Jones absorbs the loss and he falls to 2-2. For the Hoppers Augustin Septimo hit his 5th homer of the year. The loss sends the Hoppers to 10-9 and on the season and they have a doubleheader scheduled with the Power for Thursday beginning at 6:35 PM at Applachian Power Field.

The two clubs travel to Greensboro’s First Horizon Park to begin a three game series this Friday night with Fireworks set for after the game and with the way the Hoppers have been hitting the ball at home you may see a few more during the game as well. Thanks to Bull Barch for notes on the Wednesday game at West Virginny.

The Florida Marlins staged a comeback against the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday as former Atlanta Brave Wes Helms connected on a pinch hit, two-run double to send the Fish into the winners circle with a 7-5 victory. The Marlins are now 7-14 and the heat is still on Florida at Dolphin Stadium.

The Atlanta Braves were swept by the Brewers after Wednesday’s 5-4 loss to the Brew Crew. Brian McCann went 3-3 for the Bravos but it still was not enough to give Atlanta a boost heading into this Friday’s matchup back home at Turner Field with the New York Mets. John Smoltz faces off with Pedro Martinez in the opening game of the series that is fast becoming one of the better divisional rivialries in baseball. The sweep by the Brewers over the Braves was the first ever by Milwaukee and the Mets are breathing down Atlanta’s neck. The Mets have gotten off to strong start in the NL East and although they still lost 2 of 3 to the Braves up in New York, with Tom Glavine waitinig in the wings for NY on the hill, this weekend could be a keeper for the team that gets the edge in this hookup. Speaking of the Braves, they plan to induct former outfielder Ralph Garr into their Hall of Fame this summer.

Former Greensboro Bat Chris Resop was up with the Florida Marlins at the beginning of the season but now he is back down at AAA Albuqerque. James Shanks and Robert Andino both former Bats are with Resop in New Mexico. Former Hopper Brad McCann is hitting .172 down in Jupiter, Florida and JT Restko and Juan Figueroa are struggling also down in Florida. Paul Mildren is with the AA Carolina Mudcats and is pitching well in the starting rotation and former Hopper Chris Mobley is working in the Mudcats bullpen. Ryan Bear first baseman, and Angel Molina outfielder, are also with the Cats. Many other players who wore the local uniforms are spread throughout the Marlins system.

We have seen heavy rounds of rain this week but the Ragsdale Tigers have found the time to go 19-1 on the High School Baseball Circuit. Ragsdale got a big win over Eastern Randolph early in the week and we saw some sharpe photos of the Grimsley Whirlies on the front page of the N&R Sports section as Grimsley pounded High Point Central. Dustin Lineback the kid from Southeast Guilford is in a ton of hot water after being arrested down in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina during the Easter Break vacation. I have always heard good things about Dustin from those folk in the community and I hope he can turn this problen around. Fitness Today owner Jim Modlin has always had nothing but good words to say about Dustin Lineback. Jim runs the Fitness Center down on Randleman Road and knows many of the people from the Southeast Guilford area.