Dedelow and Johnson lead I's to 3-2 win over the Hoppers

The Kannapolis Intimidators (29-15) defeated the Greensboro Grasshoppers (19-23) Wednesday afternoon 3-2 at First National Bank Field, scoring two runs in the eighth inning to steal game three of the series.
Down by one in the eighth and facing a new arm, Laz Rivera drove a 1-1 pitch from Manuel Rodriguez (L, 0-1) over the wall in right field to tie game, 1-1. After Craig Dedelow's fourth hit of the afternoon, Kannapolis drew two straight walks, as Evan Skoug brought in the lead run on a sacrifice fly to right field, giving Kannapolis the 3-2 advantage.
Kannapolis' John Parke got off to a rough start in the first inning on the bump, as Jose Devers reached on a bunt-single with one out, followed by a Micah Brown homer to left-center, giving the Hoppers a 2-0 lead.
After the two-run first inning, Parke settled in and retired the next 13 Greensboro batters, striking out eight batters, while scattering five hits through 6.2 innings.
Taylor Braley, former two-way star at Southern Miss, got the start for the Grasshoppers on the mound, cruising along through five innings, only giving up three hits, with two of those coming from Dedelow.
In the sixth, the Intimidators finally got to the Greensboro righty, as Luis Gonzalez led off the top of the inning with a single on a line drive to center field, followed by a Laz Rivera single to put runners at first and second. Dedelow notched his third hit of the ball game on a groundball to right field, as manager Justin Jirschele held up Gonzalez at third to create a bases loaded scenario for Tate Blackman. After Kannapolis' second baseman struck out swinging, Anthony Villa walked for the ninth time this season on four pitches, scoring Gonzalez to cut the lead in half, 2-1.
Tyler Johnson (W, 3-0) got the call out of the bullpen with two outs in the seventh inning, getting Michael Hernandez to pop out with the potential tying run sitting at second base in replace of Parke. In the eighth and ninth innings, Johnson struck out three batters, while also refusing to give up any hits through 2.1 innings of work in relief, his longest outing this season.
Kannapolis will look for the series victory Thursday night at 7:00 p.m. in Greensboro before they head to West Virginia for a four-game series with the Power.