NFL, MLB, NHL, NBA, CFL stats



Greensboro Grasshoppers

Hoppers Start Late But Beat Hoppers 6-2

August 21, 2007 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Greensboro Grasshoppers News Release


GREENSBORO, N.C. - A late start didn't bother the Greensboro Grasshoppers, but beating the Hickory Crawdads Tuesday night might have come at a high cost.

Left fielder John Raynor injured the ring finger on his right hand diving back into first base after a pickoff attempt in the first inning. He left the game and the full extent of the injury won't be known until x-rays are taken.

"He'll miss two or three days in the best-case scenario," manager Edwin Rodriguez said after the Hoppers' 6-2 win over the Crawdads before 4,482 fans at First Horizon Park Tuesday. "He could be out for the rest of the season."

The win kept the Hoppers' long-shot hopes alive in the second-half race in the Northern Division of the South Atlantic League. The Hoppers (29-29) trail Hickory (34-23) by 5½ games with 12 left to play.

The start of the game was delayed 1½ hours because of rain.

"At least we were at home," Rodriguez said. "We stayed loose, watched TV. On the road, we might have been in a clubhouse not as nice as this."

Kyle Winters (7-3) picked up the win, allowing one run and two hits over six innings while striking out six. Pitching coach John Duffy said Winters had hop on his fastball and tightness on his curve while staying aggressive.

Winters didn't allow a hit until Kent Sakamoto led off the fifth with a double off the glove of diving third baseman Jake Blackwood. Sakamoto scored when Albert LaBoy's line drive went off the glove of first baseman Logan Morrison for another double. Winters then walked Kristopher Watts, but, after a visit by Duffy, escaped further damage by striking out Eddie Prasch and Cameron Blair and getting Alexander Presley to hit into a fielder's choice.

"I told him to stay away from the big inning," Duffy said.

Josh Roberts pitched a scoreless seventh, Jay Buente allowed an unearned run in the eighth and Blake Jones allowed two hits but no runs in the ninth.

Chris Hatcher drove in three runs for the Hoppers with a sacrifice fly in the fourth and a two-run homer, his 13th, in the sixth. Greg Burns added a solo homer in the sixth and Spike McDougall doubled in two runs in the eighth.

In addition to losing Raynor, Hoppers' shortstop Guillermo Martinez left the game in the sixth after fouling a ball off his ankle.

"At least with Martinez we have options," Rodriguez said. "Raynor is the best player in the league."

The teams play the second game of their series Wednesday at 7 p.m. at First Horizon.

Check out the Greensboro Grasshoppers Statistics

• Discuss this story on the South Atlantic League message board...

South Atlantic League Stories from August 21, 2007


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central