Handful of Homers Help Hoppers in Game 1 Win, 12-4
Lake County’s Five-Run First Drowns Greensboro in Nightcap
Greensboro, N.C. – Torre Langley hit a two-run home run in the second inning of Greensboro’s first game Thursday, then Danny Garcia, Adam Howard and Bryan Petersen skipped past the shortest man listed on the Hoppers’ roster whistling to the tune of “Anything You Can Do, I Can Do Better.â€
On any other night Langley’s blast would have undoubtedly been front page news, but the trio of Garcia, Howard and Petersen brought Greensboro’s home run total to seven on the night by each collecting two during the two-game split against Lake County.
The Hoppers took the first game, 12-4, in the completion of the May 2 suspended game in Eastlake, Ohio, before the Captain put up five first-inning runs en route to a 5-4 game two victory.
Greensboro (18-15) jumped out to a 10-0 lead in the first game before Lake County (20-13) was able to plate its first run in the fourth inning. The Captains scored three more in the fifth but the Hoppers were too much and added two more runs in the ninth inning for a 12-4 win.
Stuart Alexander (4-1) picked up the game in the second inning for Greensboro and pitched seven solid innings in what was technically the first relief appearance of his career. The seven inning performance was the longest of the season for Alexander and snapped a personal two-game losing streak.
Alexander was aided by a five home run performance in the first game that was started by Langley and followed with Garcia’s second career multi-home run game, the second of which was his second career grand slam, and two more blasts by Adam Howard. For Howard, it was his first two home runs of the season and his third career multiple-home run game. Garcia’s first home runs was a two-run shot and combined, his two home runs accounted for all six of his single-game, career-high RBI total.
After ending the first game on a high note, the Hoppers and game two starter Brett Durand got off to a rough start as Lake County plated five runs in the top half of the first inning. Durand was lifted from the game after just one inning of work and gave way to A.J. Battisto and Don Czyz who combined to pitch six scoreless innings in relief.
Petersen collected both of his home runs in the second game and accounted for both of Greensboro’s runs before a late Hoppers rally brought two home in the sixth.
With the split the Hoppers remain two games behind Lake County in the Northern Division and will play game two of their four-game set with the Captains on Friday beginning at 7:00 p.m. Greensboro will send RHP Colby Miller (1-5, 6.25) to the mound for the first time since picking up his first win of the season in his last outing on May 4; Lake County is expected to counter with LHP Kelvin De La Cruz (1-2, 2.12).
*****from Justin Stottlemyre Hoppers’ media assistant*****