KANNAPOLIS, N.C. (Aug. 22, 2017) - White Sox first round pick Jake Burger pounded out three hits, but the Intimidators came up short in a 5-2 loss to the Grasshoppers on Tuesday night at Intimidators Stadium supported by Carolinas HealthCare System. Kannapolis (25-33 Second Half, 64-62 overall) gave up single
KANNAPOLIS, N.C. (Aug. 22, 2017) - White Sox first round pick Jake Burger pounded out three hits, but the Intimidators came up short in a 5-2 loss to the Grasshoppers on Tuesday night at Intimidators Stadium supported by Carolinas HealthCare System. Kannapolis (25-33 Second Half, 64-62 overall) gave up single tallies in five different innings in dropping the opening game of this 3-game series.
Burger finished 3-for-4 with an RBI while providing nearly half of the Intimidators' seven hits on the night. Relief pitcher Jake Elliott worked 3 and 1/3 scoreless innings, entering the game with two outs in the fourth and working through the seventh. The 6'7" right-hander worked around three hits while striking out three and walking none.
Greensboro scored quickly as Brian Miller led off the game with a single, moved to third after a pair of walks, and scored on Trenton Hill's sacrifice fly for a 1-0 lead. Kannapolis knotted the game, 1-1, in the home half of the first on a Jake Burger infield single, driving in Luis González.
The Hoppers jumped back in front in the third inning when Aaron Knapp singled and later scored on a double play ground ball off the bat of Jarrett Rindfleisch. In the fourth, Miller's base hit to right field cashed Jhonny Santos for a 3-1 Greensboro lead, effectively ending the night for Kannapolis starter Yelmison Peralta.
Peralta (3-3) took the loss, allowing three runs on four hits while walking five and striking out three in 3 and 2/3 innings.
Ethan Clark (3-1) earned the win for Greensboro, allowing a run on five hits while striking out five and walking two over 6.0 innings. Michael Mertz tossed scoreless frames in the seventh and eighth before Evan Beal allowed a Grant Massey RBI-single in the ninth.
Greensboro tacked on runs in the eighth and ninth innings against Tyler Johnson and Kevin Escorcia, respectively, to increase its lead to 5-1 before Kannapolis pulled closer on Massey's base knock to cash Zach Remillard.
Kannapolis continues this 3-game series on Wednesday with Trivia Night at the ballpark at 7:05 p.m. Kannapolis sends RH Yosmer Solorzano (3-10, 6.22 ERA) to the mound on Wednesday against Greensboro's RHP Michael King (9-8, 3.18 ERA). This week's final home stand of the regular season also features Thirsty Thursday with Bark in the Park on Thursday night plus a Stars & Stripes jersey silent auction on Friday night, and tickets are available by calling the F&M Bank Box Office at 704-932-3267, or by visiting IntimidatorsBaseball.com.
