It was one of the most electrifying plays in the history of First National Bank Field, and it was a “Walk-Off Play at the Plate”…..
(This is our Fred Anderson Toyota of Raleigh Game Report.)
Top of the Ninth Inning, and the Greensboro Grasshoppers have already seen the Wilmington Blue Rocks cut the Hoppers’ late 7-5 lead, to just one run at 7-6…Randall Diaz had scored for the Rocks after reaching base when he was hit by a Draven Zeigler pitch…With Two Outs, and Teo Banks at the plate, Banks connects on Double, with his fly ball to right field, and Banks was at second base with Ronny Cruz coming up to the plate next for the Blue Rocks…Remember, there were two outs, and Cruz lines a ball through the infield to left field, where it is fielded by Hoppers LF Josh Tate…On the hit ball by Cruz, Banks was off and running from second base and he rounded third and he kept on coming to The Plate…Tate delivered a strike to Hoppers’ catcher Luke Scherrer, and Scherrer put the tag on Banks, and Banks was OUT….Dead to Rights, Banks did not have enough in the tank, to get past Scherrer, and it was again, a Super Throw to the Plate, by Josh Tate…And we are all so glad that nobody cut off that throw…(Let it Go Through.)
One of the top, and one of the most electrifying plays in the history of First National Bank Field…A game-ender, with SAL umpire Brandon Smith, making the Call at the Plate…”Your’e OUT!!!!!”
WOW, what a Game-Ender, and it was one of the rare “Walk-Off Plays at the Plate”…I didn’t vividly get to hear him call it out, but I will still be able to feel those words in my sleep tonight…”Your’e OUT!!!!!”…I will take it since, the Greensboro Grasshoppers were on the Winning End of this dramatic finish…
Some kind of Finish on Friday at First National Bank Field…And to make the evening even better, the Frederick Keys lost 13-4 to the Brooklyn Cyclones, and now the Greensboro Grasshoppers(38-23) are just a Half-Game(1/2) behind the Keys(37-21) for First Place in the South Atlantic League’ Northern Division, and there are just 5 games left in the First Half of the SALLY League Season…
Hoppers in the Hunt, as we head down the home stretch…
And By the Way, Luke Scherrer had just entered the game in the Ninth Inning on Friday night, as a defensive replacement for Hoppers’ starting catcher, Axiel Plaz…This was Scherrer’s first game action for Greensboro this season, as Scherrer just arrived in Greensboro on Thursday of this week…His first time in the lineup, and he enters at the very end of the game, and he(Scherrer) is part of the Game-Winning Play…How crazy is that…
REMAX Revolution Player of the Game, is that Play of the Game…Tate to Scherrer is our REMAX Revolution Player of the Game for Friday night…The Game-Ender, The Game-Winner……
The pitchers were also tossing some great ball in this game, and it was the Starters in particular, that got my attention…For the Hoppers, their starting pitcher, Kyle Robinson was throwing some hot stuff out there, and he went Five Innings, allowing 4 Runs, on 3 Hits, with 2 BBs/9 Ks…Robinson gave up Two Home Runs…He served up a Two-Run HR to the Rocks’ Teo Banks, and Eli Willits hit a Solo Homer off of Robinson…It was HR #4 of the week for Willits…
For the Wilmington Blue Rocks, their starting pitcher from Friday, Miguel Sime, was bringing the HOT Soup, and for him(Sime), it was like, “You Can’t See Me”…His pitches were coming in there, right at 100 mph…99.9 was seen more than one time on the speed gun…Sime worked 4 Innings, giving up 1 Run, on 1 Hit, with 2 BBs/9 Ks…The only hit Sime gave up, was the Solo Home Run by Axiel Plaz…Robinson for the Hoppers, and Sime for the Rocks, combined to Strike Out 18 Batters in this ballgame…That is a load…
The Hoppers were down, 2-1, after Two Innings….And then the lead bulged up to 4-1 Rocks over the Hoppers after 5 Innings…The Rocks moved out in front, 5-2 after Six Innings…The Hoppers posted two runs in the Seventh, to make the score, 5-4 Rocks after seven innings…Three Runs in the Eighth for the Grasshoppers, and they led 7-5 headed to the dramtic ending of that Top of the Ninth Inning…The Hoppers had key SAC Fly RBI from both Yordany De Los Santos and Murf Gray in the late stages of the contest…Big Singles and runs scored by Sammy Stafura and Brian Sanchez, as the game was on the line in that busy seventh inning…Murf Gray had a big Double in the wild eighth inning, when the Hoppers were on offense, and Dylan Palmer came on to run, and score for Gray…Josh Tate also had a key RBI, in that very productive 8th Inning for the home team…
On the night, the Hopper Hitters were going like this…Jesus Castillo 1-4/BB/RBI/SB…Castillo with a Base-Loaded-Walk, to send a run to the plate in the Seventh Inning…Yordany De Los Santos 0-3/BB/SAC Fly RBI…Easton Carmichael 1-4/Run…Axiel Plaz 2-4/HR/Double/Run/RBI…Murf Gray 1-1/Double/2 BBs/SAC Fly RBI…Dylan Palmer 0-0/Run, while Running for Gray…Edward Florentino 0-2/BB/HBP/Run…Sammy Stafura 1-4/Run…Brian Sanchez 1-3/BB/Run/RBI…Josh Tate 1-3/BB/Run/RBI…
Some of our usual Game Numbers…
Final Score:Greensboro Grasshoppers 7, Wilmington Blue Rocks 6
WP:Draven Zeigler(2-0)/LP:Eiker Huizi(4-3)
Hoppers’ Winning Pitcher Zeigler went 2 Innings, and he gave up 1 Run, on 2 Hits, with 2 BBs/1 K…
Rocks’ Losing Pitcher Huizi goes 3 Innings, and allows 3 Runs, on 3 Hits, and all 3 Runs were earned, and he had 0 BBs/1 K…
Hoppers' Line-7-8-1 Rocks' Line- 6-5-0
Hoppers now at (38-23), and Rocks sit at (28-32)….
Game Details:
Attendance-4,138
Time of Game-2:32
Game Time Temp-91 Degrees
Up Next:The Wilmington Blue Rocks(28-32) at the Greensboro Grasshoppers(38-23) on Saturday night at First National Bank Field…First Pitch due in at 6:30pm, and there will be Fireworks after the game…Be sure to tune in and Listen Live to our game broadcast on The Long Gone Baseball Radio Network, when you CLICK HERE, for GSOHoppers.com…..Pregame show kicks in at 6:05pm…
***********Hoppers-Rocks Game Report from Callie Cline, at GSOHoppers.com…..**********
Greensboro Edges Wilmington in Tight 7-6 Victory
GREENSBORO, N.C. – The Greensboro Grasshoppers defeated the Wilmington Blue Rocks, 7-6, on Friday, June 12. With the victory, Greensboro improved to 38-23 on the season, while Wilmington fell to 28-32. The Grasshoppers outhit the Blue Rocks, 8-6, and committed one error.
Catcher Axiel Plaz paced Greensboro offensively, going 2-for-4 with a home run, double, RBI, and run scored. Additional hits for the Grasshoppers came from Jesus Castillo, Easton Carmichael, Murf Gray, Sammy Stafura, Brian Sanchez, and Josh Tate.
For Wilmington, outfielder Teo Banks led the way at the plate, finishing 2-for-4 with a home run, double, three RBI, and two runs scored. Designated hitter Ronny Cruz added a pair of hits, going 2-for-5. Eli Willits and Randal Diaz also recorded hits for the Blue Rocks.
Right-handed pitcher Kyle Robinson got the start for Greensboro and turned in a strong outing, recording a career-high nine strikeouts over five innings. Robinson allowed three hits, four runs (three earned), and two walks while also delivering an immaculate inning in the second frame. Draven Zeigler earned the victory in relief, improving to 2-0 on the season.
Right-hander Miguel Sime Jr. started for Wilmington and struck out nine batters across four innings. He surrendered one hit, one run, and two walks. Eiker Huizi was charged with the loss, falling to 4-3 on the year.
The Grasshoppers continue their homestand against the Wilmington Blue Rocks tomorrow, Saturday June 13 at 6:30PM. To purchase tickets to any home Grasshoppers game please call 336-268-2255 or visit gsohoppers.com.