Two-Run Blast in the Seventh Pushes Spire City to 4-3 Win

After a seven-game road spell, the Spire City Ghost Hounds returned home for a fourth of July clash with the Gastonia Honey Hunters.

John Witkowski got the start in his Spire City debut on Tuesday, but ran into some early trouble in the first. After Johnni Turbo led off the game with an infield single, Carlos Franco, June’s player of the month, scored him with an RBI double. The next batter, Scott Manea, drove one over the right field wall. After the top of the first, Gastonia led 3-0, but that would be all they could muster.

In the third inning, Spire City got their first hit, which also led to their first run. After Scott Kelly had led the inning off being hit by a pitch, he scored on a single by Starlin Castro.

Witkowski settled in after the tough first inning, going five innings and striking out two, issuing just one walk.

Max Tannenbaum, who relieved Witkowski, struck out Pedro Gonzalez to strand a pair in the top half of the sixth.

After Sam Gaviglio was replaced by David Richardson to start the sixth, Leobaldo Cabrera greeted him with a solo blast to left field, cutting the Gastonia lead to 3-2. It was Cabrera’s 20th home run, bringing him back into a tie for the league lead.

Brendan Medoro, making his debut in relief, worked around a leadoff single in the seventh to pitch a scoreless frame.

In the bottom half of the seventh, Osvaldo Abreu hit blasted a two-run home run to left field that put Spire City back on top with a 4-3 lead. Abreu has now homered in four straight games.

Donald Goodson closed down the game with a six out save, including a double play to end the game, locking down a 4-3 Ghost Hound win.

As they continue to try and play spoiler in the first half South Division race, the Ghost Hounds will be back in action on Wednesday with a 7 PM first pitch.

Box Score (Box)