Drive Drop Series Finale With Shorebirds, 9-3
April 11, 2010 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Greenville Drive News Release
Greenville, SC - For the third straight game the Shorebirds scored in the first inning. Only on Sunday the Drive weren't able to keep pace in the early going, as Delmarva amassed a 7-0 lead before Greenville scored their first runs in the bottom of the seventh.
Making his 2010 debut, Roman Mendez (0-1) looked impressive against the game's first batter, recording a strikeout while touching 98 MPH on the radar. However, he was only able to record four more outs and exited before the end of the second inning.
Meanwhile, Delmarva starter Jesse Beal (1-0) didn't have any problems on the hill. Having allowed only three hits through the first four innings, it wasn't until the bottom of the fifth - the right-hander's last inning - that the Drive threatened to score.
With two outs, Mike Thomas singled and Luis Segovia followed with a double to right. But both runners would be stranded as Jeremy Hazelbaker struckout to end the inning.
When Michael Almanzar homered to leadoff the bottom of the seventh, it was the first earned run that the Shorebirds bullpen had surrendered since the eighth inning of Opening Day on Thursday, a span of 11 innings.
The Drive added two more runs in the inning off Ryan Palsha when Thomas reached on an error, Segovia singled and Hazelbaker laced a two-run, two-out triple. Both Thomas and Segovia, who were making their season debut, each tallied two hits.
The Drive will now welcome the Rome Braves, affiliate of the Atlanta Braves, to Fluor Field for four games beginning on Monday. First pitch is set for 7:05 PM as right-hander Ryan Pressly toes the rubber for Greenville, while Rome counters with right-hander David Hale - both of whom will make their 2010 debut.
As Opening Week, presented by Carolina First, continues tomorrow at Fluor Field, the Drive will recognize the 2010 Reading All-Stars, presented by Michelin. More than 30,000 students from Greenville and Spartanburg County, participated in this year's program. For more information regarding single-game tickets, group outings, and luxury accommodations, visit www.GreenvilleDrive.com or call (864) 240-4500.
GAME NOTES:
Attendance was 4,278... Jeremy Hazelbaker and Shannon Wilkerson each have at least one hit in the Drive's first 4 games.
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South Atlantic League Stories from April 11, 2010
- RiverDogs Topple Legends, 7-6 - Charleston RiverDogs
- Charleston Rallies to Beat Legends in 12, 7-6 - Lexington Legends
- Drive Drop Series Finale With Shorebirds, 9-3 - Greenville Drive
- GreenJackets Pitching Struggles in 6-3 Setback - Augusta GreenJackets
- Shorebirds Cruise Past Drive in Finale, 9-3 - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Power Surge Downs Gnats on Sunday - Savannah Sand Gnats
- BlueClaws Run out of Comebacks - Jersey Shore BlueClaws
- Crawdads Top Suns, 5-2, In 10 Innings - Hickory Crawdads
- Hagerstown Falls To Hickory 5-2 In 10 - Hagerstown Suns
- Shorebirds Game Notes - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Salsbury, Gloor Fire 8.1 No-Hit Innings in 8-2 Win - Augusta GreenJackets
- Intimidators Score, but Drop Third Straight - Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
- Legends take second straight in Charleston - Lexington Legends
- Drive Can't Figure Out Birds Bullpen, Fall 6-4 - Greenville Drive
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