The Hoptown Hoppers slipped to 0-3 with a 12-8 loss to hosts Fulton on Tuesday, with Andres Aybar’s grand slam highlighting a six-run 4th inning to send the Railroaders to their second straight victory.
Trailing by a run in the top of the 2nd, the Hoppers took the lead on Gavin Lake’s two-run double and added a run on an RBI single by Brayden Eftink in their next at-bat.
However, the Railroaders took the lead for good in the bottom of the 6th on Charlie Ferbet’s RBI single and stretched the advantage to 8-3 on Aybar’s bases-loaded long ball.
The Hoppers got a pair of runs back in the top of the 5th but Ferbet drove in his second run of the night to help Fulton tack on three runs in the bottom of the inning.
Garrett Taylor doubled in a run to put the Railroaders in front 12-6 in the bottom of the 7th before Hoptown capped the scoring with two runs in the 8th.
Lake took the loss on the mound for the Hoppers, allowing seven earned runs on eight hits with four walks over three and a third innings.
Braden Pingel, Hadley Smith, and Grant Snider led the Hoppers with two hits each, and Smith and Lake both drove in two runs.
Diego Duque earned the win for the Railroaders, surrendering five runs, four earned, on eight hits with a pair of walks and six strikeouts.
Aybar led the way with three hits, Ferbet finished with two hits and two RBI, and Taylor and Mason Cook each had two hits.
Next up for the Hoppers is a visit from Henderson on Wednesday. The Flash earned a 3-2 victory when the teams met in last week’s season opener.
