Lakewood nails it with win over Hoppers..

Greensboro Bats Naylor’d Down

Jacobs Breaks Up Shutout Bid With Season’s Second Leadoff Home Run

Lakewood, N.J. – Lakewood’s Drew Naylor displayed why he’s already been named the South Atlantic League’s pitcher of the week once this season; then made a bid for a second nomination Wednesday as the BlueClaws’ starter tossed eight innings and allowed just two runs to lead his team past Greensboro, 3-2, for the first time since May 10, 2007.

The Hoppers fell behind early. Lakewood took the early lead by plating single runs in both the first and second innings by playing small-ball all day. Greensboro starter Alejandro Sanabia, who was making his 2008 and Greensboro debut, allowed five of Lakewood’s 10 hits, all singles, and handed the ball to the bullpen after five innings of work.

At the plate, Sanabia’s supporting cast was very unsupportive. Greensboro failed to score a run with Sanabia on the mound and managed just two hits through the first five frames.

Justin Jacobs broke Naylor’s shutout bid in the sixth inning with his second leadoff home run of the season, but his one-man efforts were not enough. Jacobs was 2-for-3 in the game and the Hoppers managed just one other run in the game.

Of the game’s 16 combined hits, Jacobs’ solo blast was the only one to go for extra bases.

The loss was Greensboro’s first to the BlueClaws since a one-run loss, 2-1, on May 10, 2007. Since that loss, the Hoppers had won nine consecutive games against Lakewood including five straight this season.

Greensboro and Lakewood return to FirstEnergy Park Thursday for game three of the four-game series. The game, slated to begin at 7:00 p.m., will see Greensboro RHP Brett Durand (5-2, 5.14) take the mound against LHP Walter Tejeda (3-2, 4.33).

If the Hoppers wish to finish the road trip with a .500 record they must win the final two games of their series against the BlueClaws. Currently the Hoppers are 2-4 through the first six games of their eight-game road trip and have not lost a series at FirstEnergy Park since April 18-21, 2006 when they were swept in four straight games.

Postgame Quick Stats

Win – Drew Naylor (4-2); Loss – Alejandro Sanabia (0-1); Save – Jared Simon (5)

Time – 2:10; Attendance – 7,680
*****from Justin Stottlemyre Hoppers’ media assistant*****