Greensboro Sports

Posted By Andy Durham on July 22, 2008

Greensboro Erases Early Five-Run Deficit to Defeat Charleson, 10-9

GREENSBORO – For the first time in a month the Greensboro Grasshoppers picked up back-to-back wins after erasing an early five-run deficit and pulling ahead, 10-9, with an eighth inning run.

Trailing by four as they entered the bottom of the seventh inning, the Hoppers used back-to-back-to-back two-out home runs from Ryan Curry, Tom Hickman and Torre Langely to tie the game; Curry’s blast also plated Hunter Mense after he reached on a two-out single.

After Charleston loaded the bases on one out in the eighth, manager Edwin Rodriguez quickly made the move to bring in Steven Cishek. Using just one pitch, Cishek got Brandon Laird to ground into an inning-ending, double play.

Cishek eventually sat down the side in order in the ninth inning to earn the victory, but not before the offense had to break the 9-9 tie.

Ozzie Martinez led off the home half of the eighth inning with a bunt single and was eventually brought home on a sacrifice bunt by Brian Schultz, a fly-out by Mike Stanton and an RBI single by Matt Dominguez. Martinez’s one run gave Greensboro is only lead of the night and it couldn’t have come at a better time as the Hoppers won for eighth time when trailing after the sixth inning.

Martinez finished the night going 4-for-5 from the plate to match a career-high in hits; he originally set his single-game career mark on May 5 on the road against Hagerstown.

The Hoppers were forced to claw their way out of the five-run hole after starter Brett Durand gave up six runs on eight hits in just three innings of work. Four relievers were called on to finish the game and minimized the damage, allowing Greensboro to pick up its 26th come-from-behind victory of the season.

In all, the Hoppers finished with 15 hits. Six players had multiple-hit performances and the team matched a season-high, four home runs as Dominguez homered in the third inning prior to Greensboro’s seventh-inning home run parade.

On the mound, Greensboro managed to strike out just one batter. Durand fanned Charleston’s Dave Williams, the game’s selected Waffle House strikeout batter, in his first at-bat.

The win gave the Hoppers their first back-to-back wins since the opening series of the second half when Greensboro defeated Lexington on the road on June 20 and June 21; the back-to-back victories at home are the first since June 10 and June 11.

Postgame Quick Stats
Win – Steven Cishek (2-4); Loss – Chase Vasek (5-4); Save – None
Time – 3:08; Attendance – 4,881
*****from Justin Stottlemyre Hoppers’ media assistant*****

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