Greensboro 7
Asheville 5
*****Hoppers stay in Asheville for another game tonight.*****
Jacksonville’s Graham Taylor(Greensboro Grasshopper 2007) scattered four hits over six solid innings and was able to outlast West Tenn’s Robert Rohrbaugh, who was perfect for five innings, for a 3-2 victory Tuesday. It was Taylor’s second win of the fledgling season.
ATLANTA — Quality starting pitching is becoming contagious.
Picking up where Josh Johnson left off, it was Chris Volstad’s turn to dazzle. And the 22-year-old Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., native certainly did on a cool 56-degree night.
The 22-year-old scattered three hits and one run over seven innings, and Dan Uggla drove in three runs, as the Marlins defeated the Braves, 5-1, on Tuesday night at Turner Field to gain sole possession of first place in the National League East.
The Marlins, now a game up on the Braves in the division, opened their nine-game, three-city road trip with a win. Starting off the road swing on a high was certainly on Volstad’s mind.
“It’s a long road trip against another division team,” Volstad said. “I wanted to go out and start it off well. Luckily, I did. You need momentum to win a series, especially a three-game series. It gives you a lot of momentum.”
Volstad’s outing was a nice follow-up to Johnson’s compete-game victory over the Mets on Sunday.
“Like I’ve been saying, we all feed off each other,” Volstad said. “Watching [Johnson] go out there, I just wanted to go out and do the same thing.”
What Volstad noticed from Johnson’s start was to “attack the zone.”
At 6-foot-8, Volstad is a towering presence on the mound, and he is especially tough when his sinker is working. He logged nine ground-ball outs, compared to eight fly-ball outs.
“Volstad, he’s very mature for his age, and he knows how to pitch,” Uggla said. “And he’s got great stuff to go along with that. He’s very competitive. He’s not scared of anybody. He’s going to challenge you and make you put the ball in play. It’s very rare to see that out of a 22-year-old.”
*****For the Greensboro Grasshoppers in their win over the Ashevillle Tourists on Tuesday.*****
Kevin Mattison 1-2, 2 Runs, 1 RBI
Paul Gran 2-4, 2 Runs, Double, 1 RBI
Jeremy Synan 1-4, 1 RBI
Ben Lasater 2 RBI’s
Kyle Skipworth 1-5, 1 RBI
Brandon Turner 1-3, 1 Run
Joel Staples 2-4, 1 Run
Issac Galloway 1-4, 1 Run*****
WP:Jose Rosario/Save:Jared Yecker
*****Former Grasshoppers/Bats now with Jacksonville in their win over West Tennessee:
Bryan Peterson 1-2, 2 Runs
Kevin Randel 1-2, 1 Run, Double
Brad Davis 1-3, 1 RBI
WP:Graham Taylor(2-0)
Hold:Jay Buente*****