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GREENSBORO — Starting pitching was again the strong part of the Hoppers' game on Monday night against Lake County.

But instead of the timely hitting that was present on Sunday, Greensboro turned in a meek performance at the plate and on the bases as they gave up four runs in the top of the 11th to lose 5-1.

The Hoppers are 3-8 in the season's second half.

Despite the offensive problems, Greensboro forced extra innings with a run in the eighth. But with one and two outs in the eleventh, Greensboro reliever Daniel Jennings surrendered a deep homer to right by Nate Recknagel.

"Just left a slider up," manager Darin Everson said.

A three-base error by centerfielder Isaac Galloway later in the inning allowed two more runs to score.

Like teammate Johnny Dorn on Sunday, Hopper starter Tom Koehler used the double play ball to his advantage during the first four innings.

He surrendered a hit-and-run RBI single with two outs in the fifth, but finished strong with four strikeouts in his last three innings of work.

"Early on in the game, basically went majority fastballs. Just moving in and out, trying to get the umpire's zone and see what they're chasing," Koehler said.

Koehler has been strong all season and lowered his ERA to 2.63. He was also the beneficiary of a remarkable play in the top of the second on grounder to the left side that evaded third baseman Jake Smolinski and appeared headed for a single.

Enter shortstop Emilio Ontiveros, who somehow slid to backhand the ball deep in the hole while jackknifing himself up for the throw in one motion. First baseman Ben Lasater scooped the short hop for the out as Ontiveros received a sizeable ovation.

But while Koehler was dealing his way through those eight quality innings, the normally lively Greensboro bats were in a morgue-like state.

Jeremy Synan staged his own personal campaign for some runs by ripping two doubles and a single in his first three at-bats, but Greensboro failed to capitalize.

They had a chance in the fourth with one out and runners on the corners, but Torre Langley was caught off first after a strikeout, and eventually Synan was tagged out in a rundown near home. Baserunning was again an issue in the fifth when Galloway was picked off first with one out.

"If we take care of our business throughout the game, with our situational hitting, we have a chance to have a better outcome," Everson said.

A run finally came in the bottom of the eighth when Smolinski led off with a line drive past the third baseman that rolled all the way to the wall for a double. A walk and a fielder's choice put runners on the corners, and Justin Bass tied the game with a sacrifice fly to right.

The Hoppers had a chance to win the game in the bottom of the ninth with two runners on, but they ran themselves out of that opportunity, too, when Ontiveros was thrown out trying to take third on a wayward pitch.

"We want to commit and go. If we have any hesitation, we've gotta shut down," Everson said of the baserunning.

Contact Jesse Baumgartner at 373-7071 or jesse.baumgartner@news-record.com