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GREENSBORO — Players and coaches for the Greensboro Grasshoppers might want to start asking for overtime pay.

For the third time in four games, the Grasshoppers needed extra innings to get a win against the Asheville Tourists. Joel Staples singled with two outs in the bottom of the 12th inning, bringing home Paul Gran with the winning run in a 5-4 victory.

It was the second night in a row that Staples came through in the clutch, after winning Thursday’s game with a bases-loaded single. He came into the game hitting just .194, but was batting in the fifth spot.

“I have him there because of knowing his history,” Greensboro manager Darin Everson said. “Him and Ben Lasater have been outstanding against left-handed pitchers this year. He has really been swinging well in BP and the warm weather is really helping him come around. There was a stretch of about two or two-and-a-half weeks last season (in Jamestown) when he carried us.”

Because it was fireworks night, most of the 8,287 in attendance stayed around until almost 10:30 p.m. to see Staples repeat his heroics. On Tuesday night, Greensboro needed 11 innings to get the win and Thursday night’s game went even later, with the Grasshoppers winning in 14 innings.

“I started slow last year too, even slower than this,” Staples said. “I’ve been working with the hitting coordinator. I’m just getting my timing going. I’m seeing the ball better and not trying to do too much with it.”

Greensboro did most of its damage against the Tourists bullpen, which it was glad to see after Asheville’s starter, 2007 first-round draft pick Christian Friedrich, allowed only three hits and one run in six innings.

“When you know his numbers and know he is a No. 1 pick, you say ‘Let’s see if we can’t get to their bullpen,’” Everson said.

While the Tourists bullpen struggled, the Grasshoppers bullpen cruised again, allowing only two hits in six innings of work. Brandon Todd pitched four of those innings to get the win and lowered his ERA to 0.82.

“Brandon Todd was big for us,” Everson said. “I thought he was only going to go two, but he said he felt good so we kept putting him out there.”

The Tourists didn’t waste time getting on the scoreboard against Grasshoppers’ starter Jose Rosario. After two outs, Jimmy Cesario reached on a bunt single. Jordan Pacheco followed with a single to right. A wild pitch moved the runners up and then Rosario committed a balk that allowed Cesario to score. An infield single by Tyler Massey brought Pacheco home.

The Grasshoppers cut the deficit in half in the bottom second inning. Staples walked, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Isaac Galloway and to third on a passed ball. He scored on Torre Langley’s solid single to center .

After falling behind 4-1, due to two solo home runs by the Tourists, Greensboro tied the game in the bottom of the eighth. Galloway started the rally with an infield single and Daniel Pertusati reached on an error.

Ben Lasater singled to load the bases. Jeremy Synan doubled off the right field wall to bring home Galloway and Pertusati, making the score 4-3. A sacrifice fly to deep right field by Staples allowed Lasater to score the tying run and send the game into extra innings.

The Grasshoppers missed opportunities in the bottom of the ninth and 10th, when the leadoff hitter walked both times. But in both innings that runner never got past second base.