Dash vs. Greensboro: Game #55 Preview

Winston-Salem Dash (28–26) vs. Greensboro Grasshoppers (23–30)

Friday, June 10–7 p.m.

Truist Stadium (Winston-Salem, N.C.)

Game 54 Recap

Winston-Salem tied the game in the ninth inning but ultimately fell to Greensboro 5–4 in 10 innings.

Once again, this game began with excellent pitching from both sides. The Dash handed Andrew Dalquist the ball, against Jared Jones for the Grasshoppers.

Jackson Glenn drew a leadoff walk, then Francisco Acuna singled to put runners on the corners. Sammy Siani got hit by a Dalquist pitch, loading the bases. Later, with one out, Fabricio Macias lifted a fly ball into right field, deep enough for Glenn to score from third base with the first run of the game.

Then in the fifth, Greensboro got a leadoff single from Siani. He broke for second base, but an errant throw to the bag let Siani advance to third base. Macias then picked up his second RBI of the game on a sharply hit single into center field to plate Siani, and the ‘Hoppers led 2–0.

In the bottom of the frame, Winston-Salem’s Jason Matthews and Terrell Tatum both walked, then advanced a base each on a sacrifice fly. After that, Oscar Colas got a free pass to load the bases for Bryan Ramos**.** He did not see a pitch to hit, drawing a bases-loaded walk to force Matthews home and cut the deficit to 2–1.

Greensboro was able to keep the Dash down by a run going into the ninth inning before they extended that advantage.

Hudson Head slapped a leadoff single, then Ernny Ordonez singled as well with Head going first to third. Cooper Bradford then sent Jackson Glenn down on strikes, his fifth of the night to set a new career-high. Bradford worked 3.2 innings in relief in this one, allowing just one earned run to go along with those five punchouts. But after the Glenn strikeout, Acuna dropped down a perfect sacrifice bunt to score Head. The next hitter Sammy Siani picked up an RBI on an infield single, and the Grasshoppers took a 4–1 lead into the bottom of the ninth.

Winston-Salem had to face Ricky DeVito in the ninth; he retired the first batter of the inning before Colas reached first on an error. Bryan Ramos was then walked for the second time, but a pop-out put the game in the hands of Ivan Gonzalez. He had entered in the sixth inning to replace Duke Ellis, who had pinch-ran for the starting catcher Tyler Osik**.** Gonzalez battled DeVito to a 2–2 count, and then sent a towering drive in the air to left field. It just cleared the wall for a game-tying, three-run home run with the Dash down to their last strike.

On to extra innings, where Dariel Lopez was Greensboro’s ghost runner on second base. A leadoff single by Macias put runners on the corners, and then a wild pitch from Karan Patel allowed Lopez to score and put the Grasshoppers ahead 5–4.

Shawn Goosenberg pinch-ran for Harvin Mendoza as the ghost runner for the Dash in the bottom of the frame, but Michell Miliano sent Winston-Salem down in order to preserve a 5–4 Greensboro victory. Miliano got the save in Wandi Montout’s winning effort, while Patel got the loss for the Dash.

Garrett Schoenle is set to make his first career start for the Dash in game four, opposing Nick Garcia.

BATTLE OF I-40

The Dash and Greensboro will engage in the second Battle of I-40 this year when the Grasshoppers visit Winston-Salem for the second time this year. In the previous meeting between the two teams, the Dash had control of the series three games to one heading into game five, but Greensboro stole the last two games to split the series.

ONE-RUN BALL

In all of the first three games of this week’s series, the difference between the two I-40 foes has been one run. Winston-Salem won games one and two by one run while Greensboro took last night’s game by one run. In the previous series between the rivals, three of the six games were decided by one run, all wins by the Dash. The latter one-run game was a 10-inning walk-off in which the Dash scored a run in both the ninth and tenth innings to take the win and nab their third win of the series.

GONZALEZ GONER

With the game on the line and the Dash down by three runs, Ivan Gonzalez stared the two-strike count he was facing in the eyes and launched a ball over the left-field wall to tie the game.

STARTER STARDOM

In games one, two, and three of the series, the Dash starters have been outsmarting the Greensboro batters. In game one, Luis Moncada went four innings, allowing only three hits and one earned run while striking out three batters. In game 2, Matthew Thompson went six innings, shutting down the Grasshoppers’ offense allowing only two hits and no runs, striking out a career-high eight batters. Finally, Andrew Dalquist allowed just a single run and hit in his three-inning outing last night, striking out two.

SCHOENLE STARTS

Garrett Schoenle makes his first-ever start for the Dash tonight and his second appearance with the team. In his previous outing, he went three and a third innings against Greenville, not allowing a single hit or run, striking out three, and walking a single batter.

First pitch is slated for 7:00 p.m.