Showdown in H-Town

Game one of the South Atlantic League Northern Division series starts in a few hours in Hagerstown with the visiting Greensboro Grasshoppers battling the Hagerstown Suns at the Muni.

The Grasshoppers will be starting Esteban German (9-3 2.48 ERA) in game one against Wander Suero (4-1 2.13 ERA) and this is the pivotal game of the series.
If Hagerstown has to go to Greensboro and have to win both games,it'll be a very difficult series to win,but winning one of two is very possible with Reynaldo Lopez starting game two against Chris Sadberry,while Nick Pivetta would start a series deciding game three if needed against Greensboro's Kyle Fischer.

Hagerstown appears to have the better team,but the Grasshoppers have stood toe to toe all season record wise with the Suns and have the home field advantage after the Suns first half collapse.
Greensboro reminds me much of last season's Suns with a team that puts the ball in play and hits for an high average.
Only one Hopper hit double digit homers (Felix Munoz 16),but the team features six .300 hitters that have played 40 or more games in Greensboro.
Esteban German  has developed into nice prospect status this season,but the other two starters in the series have produced nice numbers in their limited duties in the SAL (seven and eight starts respectively).

The Suns had three players in double digit homers in Jimmy Yezzo,SAL MVP Wilmer Difo and Drew Ward,but the average was not as high as last season's team and this years team is much more dependent on speed with Rafael Bautista's 69 steals supported by Difo's 49 to manufacture runs.
The starting pitching has been solid and despite some weak bullpen work of late,has been a plus.

Time for a pick of the series.
Had the parent Nationals not shut down Lucas Giolito,I'd pick the Suns in a romp.
No SAL is beating Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo Lopez two straight and as a non-pitch count fan,you'll never convince me the difference between 98 innings and 108 is career breaking,but that is the Washington way,so I'll offer more on that in the season recap.
I'm concerned about the pivotal game one at home with Wander Suero against Esteban German.
This reminds of the series two years ago between these two teams where Hagerstown hosted game one and started the journeyman Blake Schwartz against the Marlins first round draftee Andrew Heaney.
Greensboro won the game and cruised to a series win.
Could that happen tonight?
Very possible,but if the Suns can win here behind the erratic Suero,who has looked better since his return from high A Potomac-they win this series.

I'll be a homer and go Hagerstown in three,but that depends on winning the home opener.
Fingers crossed and back tonight with the game thoughts.