Greensboro Sports

Posted By Andy Durham on May 5, 2008

Miller, Hoppers Rough Up Hagerstown
Starter Gets Much Support, Snaps Five-Game Skid to Pick Up First Win

Hagerstown, Md. – Colby Miller needed an outing like this one. So did the Grasshoppers.

It wasn’t his finest outing, but Miller got his first dose of run support this season and left the game after five innings of work with an 8-4 lead en route to his first victory of the year. Greensboro continued to put runs on the board after Miller’s exit, routing Hagerstown, 11-5, on a season-high 15 hits.

Entering the game, Greensboro had scored just 10 runs Miller’s first five starts, but today the Hoppers amassed a three-run lead before he even stepped on the mound.

Hagerstown starter Colton Willems retired the first batter of the game before Danny Garcia went deep for the second time this season to give the Hoppers a one-run advantage. Greensboro scored twice more in the inning and kept the Suns at least two runs behind for the remainder of the game.

Miller walked the first batter he faced and allowed a one-out, RBI double to Bill Rhinehart, but settled down to toss three scoreless innings. Between the second and fourth innings, Miller gave up just two hits and turned the game over to the Hoppers bullpen after allowing three-runs in the fifth.

While Miller was working on his first victory of the season, the Greensboro bats were breaking out of their own funk. Six Hoppers turned in multiple-hit performances and all but one batter collected a hit on the afternoon.

Ryan Anetsberger ended his day going 3-for-6 from the plate after collecting hits in each of his first three plate appearances, including two doubles. Garcia, Ben Lasater, Mike Stanton, Adam Howard and Ozzie Martinez each chipped in two hits and Torre Langley’s lone hit of the day put two more runs on the board with a two-run home run in the fifth.

In all, Greensboro hit five doubles and two home runs as part of a season-high 15 hits.

From the pen, Jeremiah Haar and Brad Stone each tossed two innings of relief for manager Edwin Rodriguez and allowed one run on three hits to secure Miller’s first victory in affiliated baseball since Sept. 2, 2006, while playing for New Britain, the Double-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins.

Greensboro continues its eight-game road trip Monday with game three against Hagerstown beginning at 6:35 p.m. The Hoppers will be looking to lock up a winning record on their current road trip as they send RHP Brett Durand (3-0, 4.50) to the mound to take on Hagerstown RHP Brad Peacock (0-2, 7.94).

The Hoppers return home May 8 to take on the Lake County Captains in a four-game set as part of an eight-game homestand. The homestand includes two Thirsty Thursday’s, two post-game fireworks shows, Reggy “The Purple Party Dude”, Babe’s Bark in the Park night and much more. For more information about upcoming Grasshopper games, events and promotions, contact the Grasshoppers Box Office at 336-268.2255 or visit www.gsohoppers.com on the World Wide Web.

Postgame Quick Stats
Win – Colby Miller (1-5); Loss – Colten Willems (2-3); Save – None
Time – 2:47; Attendance – 1,421

*****from Justin Stottlemyre media assistant*****

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