Spartanburgers Snap Skid in Walk-off Fashion

SPARTANBURG, S.C. — Hub City dropped the first four contests of the week to Bowling Green and gave up a late lead Saturday. The Spartanburgers (6-14, 40-46) bounced back in the 10th to beat the Hot Rods (12-8, 59-26) with a walk-off sacrifice fly from Carter Garate.

After A.J. Russell faced the minimum in the top of the first, Yeison Morrobel ambushed the first pitch from Bowling Green starter Trevor Harrison. Morrobel smoked his team-leading 14th home run of the season over the right field wall and gave the Spartanburgers an immediate 1-0 advantage. Harrison settled in and retired the next three. The right-hander faced two over the minimum through the third.

The Hot Rods made Russell work in the second, but a pair of runners caught stealing by Arturo De Freitas helped his battery mate to a scoreless inning. Despite multiple runners on base in the third, Russell induced two ground ball outs, then J’Briell Easley entered to record the final out.

The Spartanburgers tacked on against Harrison in the fourth. Hector Osorio led off the inning with a double off the glove of the center fielder. Two batters later, Gleider Figuereo flicked a spinning single underneath the Bowling Green shortstop to score Osorio and double Hub City’s lead.

After Easley tossed 1 1/3 scoreless innings, Ismael Agreda took over for a piggyback start. The fireballer navigated through three innings and struck out four. Bowling Green scored a run against Agreda in the sixth. A pair of singles and a walk loaded the bases, and a groundout plated the Hot Rods’ first run. Agreda left the tying run at third base. The Hot Rods got the tying run to third again in the seventh, but Agreda finished his day with a strikeout to keep Hub City in the lead.

Harrison made it five innings, then Kaleb Corbett entered for the Hot Rods. Corbett struck out a pair in the sixth, then stranded a De Freitas leadoff double in the seventh. Trey Pooser handled the eighth for Bowling Green.

Ben DeTaeye (W, 1-0) took over to pitch the eighth inning for the Spartanburgers. The lefty struck out the side. He returned for the ninth, and Carlos Colmenarez led off with a home run to tie the game. DeTaeye set down each of the next three batters.

Junior William (L, 5-3) entered for the ninth and set down the ‘Burgers side in order to send the game to extra innings. DeTaeye went back for his third inning of work. He did not allow the automatic runner to move off second base. Chandler Pollard served as a pinch-runner at second base to start the bottom of the tenth. He advanced to third on a wild pitch, and Garate brought him in with a sacrifice fly to center field to win the game.

The final game of the series between Bowling Green and Hub City begins Sunday at 2:05 p.m. ET. D.J. McCarty (2-4, 5.96 ERA) is the Spartanburgers slated starter, and Hot Rod Jacob Kisting (4-0, 1.85) pitches for the second time at Fifth Third Park this week.

About the Hub City Spartanburgers

The Hub City Spartanburgers are the High-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers and the reigning South Atlantic League South Division Champions. For more information on the Spartanburgers, visit milb.com/hub-city. For information about tickets to any of Hub City’s 66 home games, call 864-594-0701 or email: tickets@hcspartanburgers.com. For media inquiries, email: iunsworth@hcspartanburgers.com. Follow along with the Spartanburgers on social media.