Hoppers start second half of Sally League season

GREENSBORO ― It’s a fresh start for the Greensboro Grasshoppers.

The second half of the South Atlantic League baseball season began Friday night, the records of all 12 teams reset to 0-0.

The Hoppers finished the first half 27-38, 15½ games behind first-place Aberdeen in the Sally League’s North Division. The IronBirds clinched a playoff spot, as will the second-half division winners.

The fresh start didn’t last long.

Jose Alvarez went 2-for-3 with a double and a three-run home run, and Chad Stevens and Kenedy Corona had three RBIs apiece, leading the Asheville Tourists to 14-4 victory over the Hoppers at First National Bank Field.

Asheville pounded out 12 hits and drew eight walks against five Greensboro pitchers, and every Tourists player reached base at least once in the game.

Hoppers starter Sean Sullivan (1-4) gave up six earned runs in 2⅔ innings to take the loss.

Right-hander Jack Carey walked none, struck four and allowed no earned runs in 3⅓ innings to keep the score within reach, but the Tourists roughed up right-handers Logan Hofmann and Michell Miliano for a combined seven runs to pull away.

Asheville’s Chayce McDermott (6-1) struck out five over the final five innings to pick up the win in the second half of a piggyback start with Cole McDonald.

Fabricio Macias hit a 400-foot home run for Greensboro, which stranded eight baserunners in the game and went just 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position.

Abrahan Gutierrez hit an RBI double, and Ernny Ordonez had an RBI single to account for the rest of the Hoppers hits. Greensboro drew 10 walks in the game, but couldn’t capitalize on all those baserunners.

NOTES

• Since June 1, utility player Ernny Ordoñez has hit safely in nine of 12 games, with five home runs, two doubles and 15 RBIs in that span.
• Infielder Dariel Lopez went 0-for-4 Friday, but he has hit safely in nine of his last 11 games, going 17-for-47 (.362) with three home runs, three doubles, seven RBIs and 12 runs scored. He has six multi-hit games in that span.
• Endy Rodriguez has hit safely in eight of his last 12 games, going 11-for-41 (.268) with five doubles, a home run and eight RBIs. Rodriguez started at second base Friday. The versatile 22-year-old is rated by MLB Pipeline as Pittsburgh's No. 7 prospect, and he has played four positions ― catcher, first base, second base and left field ― this season.
• First baseman Jacob Gonzalez went 0-for-3 with two walks and a run scored Friday, and he has a 12-game on-base streak. Since his promotion from Class-A Bradenton on May 10, Gonzalez has reached base in 29 of 34 games, with 11 multi-hit games. Gonzalez is 41-for-131 (.313) with seven doubles, a triple, five home runs and 19 RBIs.