Michell Miliano nails down 10th-inning win

WiNSTON-SALEM ― Right-hander Michell Miliano retired all three batters he faced in the 10th inning, nailing down the Greensboro Grasshoppers 5-4 victory over the Winston-Salem Dash at Truist Stadium on Thursday night.

With pinch-runner Shawn Goosenberg placed at second to start the 10th, Miliano coaxed a fly out, then struck out the next two batters to notch his first save.

Winning pitcher Wandi Montout (3-1) came on in the ninth inning after the Dash had tied the game on Ivan Gonzalez’s three-run home run. Montout struck out the only batter he faced in the game to get credit for the win.

The Hoppers scored in the top of the 10th. Dariel Lopez was placed at second base to start the rally, and he took third on Fabricio Macias's single. Lopez scored on a wild pitch from losing pitcher Karan Patel.

Macias went 2-for-4 with two RBIs for the Hoppers, driving home runs with a single and a sacrifice fly.

Sammy Siani went 2-for-4 with a run scored and his team-high 11th stolen base of the season.

Franciso Acuña drove in a key run in the top of the ninth inning with a squeeze bunt that scored Hudson Head from third base.

Hoppers starter Jared Jones pitched out of trouble, scattering seven hits and four walks to allow just one earned run in 4 ⅓ innings.

Right-hander Jack Carey struck out three in 3 ⅔ scoreless innings of relief.

NOTES

• Greensboro trails Winston-Salem 5-4 in the season series known as “The Battle for I-40” rivalry.
• The Grasshoppers had lost eight of their last 10 games before the 10th inning victory.
• Greensboro is 9-9 in one-run games this season. The Hoppers have won eight of their last 12 one-run games.
• First baseman Jacob Gonzalez went 1-for-3, and he has been one of the South Atlantic League's best players since his promotion from Class-A Bradenton on May 10. He has hit safely in 19 of 24 games since then, with nine multi-hit games. Gonzalez is 31-for-90 (.344) with five home runs, three doubles and 13 RBIs.
• Center fielder Hudson Head, a 21-year-old rated by MLB Pipeline as the No. 20 prospect in Pittsburgh's farm system, went 1-for-5 in his second game back from a leg injury that kept him on the bench for three days. Head has hits in 18 of his last 21 games. He has reached base in 28 of his last 31 games.
• Outfielder Fabricio Macias, who played for the Hoppers in 2019 and 2021, was sent to Greensboro on an injury rehab assignment May 31. He's 11-for-39 (.257) with two doubles, a home run and seven RBIs in 12 games since rejoining the Hoppers.