Hoppers fall hard at First Horizon Park
Posted By Andy Durham on April 10, 2007
The first home game of the season was not a good one for the Greensboro Grasshoppers as they fell hard to the Lake County Captains 14-8. The Hoppers’ pitching staff gave up the long ball early and trailed 3-0 after the first inning. Lake County clobbered four home runs for the game and pitching was a glaring problem for the Hoppers all night long.
The Grasshoppers rallied from a 4-0 deficit to trail 4-3 then pushed across 4 more runs in the fifth inning to grab a 7-4 lead. With their pitching failing them the Hoppers then saw Lake County move back ahead 11-7 before the Captains settled for the 14-8 victory.
The Hoppers did get good production from the top of their batting order with John Raynor, Chris Coglin, Scott Cousins, and Jacob Blackwood swinging some solid lumber. Raynor went 2-4 and scored 3 runs in the leadoff spot, Coglin had 2 big hits including a 3-run triple and drove in 4, Cousins had a double and drove in a run plus scored a go-ahead run for the Hoppers and Blackwood had a two RBI’s.
The Hoppers like to run and they pulled off a double-steal and stole 3 total bases for the game. The problem areas were again the pitching and in the field, the Hoppers committed 4 costly errors with the first error of the game opening the door to allow Lake County to score the three runs in the top of the first inning to take the early lead.
Hopefully things will go better for the Hoppers on Tuesday when they send lefthander Graham Taylor to mound while Lake County will counter with RHP Mike Eisneberg. After Monday night’s game Hoppers Manager Edwin Rodriguez told the N&R, “The pitchers have to find a way, but this team is going to be fun to watch. They’re not afraid to run”. Good luck to the Hoppers and fans don’t run out of patience with these kids.
The Hoppers will come around, they may need to make some changes but they will come around. Fireworks and warm weather on Friday night, look out.