Boll Weevils wait out win with a walk

BY RONNIE GALLAGHER
SALISBURY POST

In front of a vocal 2,489 fans, Piedmont used its lumber to slug three home runs and fight back from a four-run deficit.

Then, in the bottom of the eighth of a 7-7 ballgame, the bat stayed on Brian Hitchcox’s shoulder and the Weevils scored anyway.

Hitchcox’s bases-loaded, two-out walk on four pitches was the eventual game-winner in an entertaining, 8-7 South Atlantic League victory over the Greensboro Bats.

It was the second straight come-from-behind victory for Piedmont (58-30, 11-6 in the second half) over the Bats, who lost for the 20th time in their last 24 games.

Manager Greg Legg was left shaking his head again while marveling over his savvy bunch of Boll Weevils.

“When you’ve got good hitters, it makes it easier,” said Legg of yet another winning rally. “These kids have a lot of heart and they’re pretty good ballplayers. And once you do it a couple of times, you kinda expect it.”

The Boll Weevils had their work cut out for them after the top of the third. With the bases loaded, starter Ryan Madson threw a changeup to Pedro Santana who did not change his evil ways, sending the pitch out of the park for a grand slam and a 5-1 lead.

“Usually, it fades down,” Madson lamented of the gopher ball. “It just hung up there.”

But Madson didn’t hang his head.

“I never worry about these guys getting me runs,” he said.

Right on cue, Shomari Beverly and Russ Jacobson delivered.

On the first pitch from Ricardo Aramboles in the bottom of the third, Beverly quickly ended his 1-for-17 slump by creaming his first homer of the season to deep left. Two outs later, Jacobson hit a dinger for the second straight night and it was 5-3.

The 19-year-old Madson left after only five innings but was the pitcher of record, thanks to a four-run inning in the bottom of the frame.

Aramboles served up a two-run shot to Jacobson, his 16th of the season, that tied the game.

“Those home run hitters get on streaks,” laughed Legg.

It’s the streaks in Jacobson’s hair, according to leadoff man Jay Sitzman, that has turned the all-star catcher into the Blonde Bomber.

“Russ dyed his hair the other day and he’s got three jacks since then,” Sitzman said. “That’s the reason he’s swinging a little better.”

The Yellow Fellow said he hit both homers on changeups.

“A lot of guys are swinging well,” Jacobson said. “And (Aramboles) left some balls up to us.”

The Weevils scored the go-ahead runs when Sitzman singled home Jorge Padilla. On the throw home, Sitzman went to second and Bats catcher Omar Fuentes fired the ball into center, scoring Julio Collazo for a 7-5 lead.

Legg sat Madson despite the fifth being his best inning.

“More than anything, I wanted to use the bullpen,” Legg said.

It didn’t directly pay off. In the bottom of the sixth, Elio Serrano served up the game’s fifth homer, a two-run shot by .171 hitter David Fowler to tie things up.

Serrano struck out the side in the seventh and eventual winner Chris Keelin (3-1) struck out two in a perfect eighth.

In the bottom of the eighth, the Piedmont rally caps were on.

Beverly singled off Matt Weber to open the inning and he went to second when Fuentes muffed Marlon Byrd’s sacrifice bunt. Slugger Nate Espy then walked to load the bases.

But Jacobson and Padilla, who had combined for five hits, each struck out, bringing up second baseman Hitchcox.

“I knew Hitch was a tough out,” Legg said. “He’s been good in the clutch and I’ve got a lot of confidence he’d get the job done.”

Hitchcox did by joining the fans as a spectator. Four errant Weber throws later, he was trotting to first with the game-winning RBI.

“Idon’t know how many more times we can do this,” chuckled Jacobson. “All we do is try to do is stay in the game.”

Sometimes, they use their bats. Sometimes, they don’t.

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NOTES: Justin Fry struck out the side in the ninth, earning his 10th save. ... Madson had won his last five starts. ... Jacobson is now third in the SAL in homers, three behind leader Espy. ... Juan Richardson, who doubled home Padilla with a second-inning run, has hit safely in all six games since rejoining the club from Batavia. ... Greensboro dropped to 3-13 in the second half and 37-50 overall. … Matire Franco will pitch for the Weevils today against the Bats.Gametime is 2:05 p.m.