Santos' 3-hit game buoys Grasshoppers

GREENSBORO, N.C. (June 3, 2018) -- Jhonny Santos recorded a game-high three hits, including an RBI-double in the fifth inning, as the Grasshoppers unplugged the Power, 5-2, on Sunday at First National Bank Field to claim a 2-games-to-1 series victory.
Brandon Miller (2-4) pitched Greensboro to victory, striking out seven batters over 6.0 innings while allowing one run on three hits and a walk. The Hoppers starter combined with relievers Nestor Bautista, Vincenzo Aiello, and Travis Neubeck -- who each threw one inning -- to strike out 12 batters on the night, one shy of the team's season-high. 
In the bottom of the first, Greensboro (26-28) took an early 2-0 lead thanks in part to a wild-pitch offense. Santos singled and went first-to-third on Micah Brown's ensuring base hit. West Virginia starter Hunter Stratton uncorked a wild pitch, scoring Santos for the game's first run. Two batters later, Marcos Rivera's 2-out single cashed Brown.
The Grasshoppers built the lead to 5-0 thanks to a 3-run fifth. Will Allen doubled to right field, putting himself and Michael Hernandez in scoring position with one out. Thomas Jones followed with a sac-fly to cash Hernandez, and Santos came through with a big double to plate Allen for a 4-0 advantage. Brown added an RBI-single, scoring Santos, to cap the frame.
The Power chipped in runs in the sixth and ninth but could not rally beyond that to close the gap.
Stratton (1-3) took the loss for West Virginia, allowing all five Greensboro runs on seven hits over 4 and 2/3 innings. 
The Grasshopper are off Monday and begin a 3-game series at Delmarva on Tuesday. The team returns home on Friday to begin the team's last home stand of the first half. Tickets are available online at gsohoppers.com.