Hoppers win streak at 3 after doubleheader sweep

GREENVILLE, S.C. ― Mike Jarvis hit a game-winning two-run single in the first game, and right-handers Christian Charle and Ricky DeVito combined for 11 strikeouts in a shutout in the second game as the Greensboro Grasshoppers swept a doubleheader from the Greenville Drive at Fluor Field on Thursday.

The 3-2 and 6-0 victories gave the Hoppers three wins in 24 hours, coming on the heels of a 5-3 victory on Wednesday.

Eli Wilson went 2-for-3 in the first game Thursday, starting the winning rally with a lead-off double in the bottom of the seventh inning. Jackson Glenn was hit by a pitch with one out, and the runners advanced on a balk. That set the stage for Jarvis’ line-drive, walk-off single to right field.

Hoppers starter Nick Garcia struck out nine in 5⅔ strong innings, and left-hander Mitchell Miller (2-0) picked up the win with 1⅓ scoreless innings of relief.

Francisco Acuña hit his sixth home run of the season in the game.

Wilson starred again in the nightcap, going 2-for-4 with his fifth home run of the season, a two-run shot over the center field fence, and an RBI single.

Acuña and Claudio Finol had two hits apiece for the Hoppers, and Jacob Gonzalez hit a run-scoring single.

Charle (2-0) allowed two hits, walked none and struck out seven in three dominant innings of relief, finishing off the shutout. DeVito struck out four in four innings.

Greensboro (51-63) improved to 24-25 in the second half of the South Atlantic League season, and the Hoppers are 4½ games behind first-place Hudson Valley in the North Division standings.

NOTES

• Greensboro is 19-17 in one-run games this season.
• Thursday’s opener was a make-up of a game rained out in Greensboro. The 3-2 win was the Hoppers’ sixth walk-off victory of the season, with game-winning hits from Jack Herman, Matt Gorski, Yoyner Fajardo twice, Ernny Ordoñez and now Mike Jarvis.
• Starting pitcher Nick Garcia ranks fifth among qualifiers in the South Atlantic League with a 4.14 ERA. Garcia, who has pitched in 23 games with 21 starts, is one of three pitchers in the league to throw a complete-game shutout this season. He has struck out 98 in 100 innings, and he has held opponents to a .228 batting average.
• The Hoppers started this three-game win streak on Wednesday when Sammy Siani went 2-for-4 and hit a two-out RBI double in the seventh inning to break a 3-3 tie. Abrahan Gutierrez hit a three-run home run in the game, starting pitcher Justin Meis struck out nine in five innings, and Cameron Junker pitched a scoreless ninth inning for his league-leading 12th save.