SAL1 Greenville Drive

Ruiz, Early Offense Push Drive Past Intimidators, 4-1

Published on July 21, 2010 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Greenville Drive News Release


Greenville, SC - Behind some early offense and a solid outing by starter Pete Ruiz, the Drive (53-43, 17-9) defeated the Kannapolis Intimidators (41-54, 10-16), 4-1, Wednesday night at Fluor Field.

Pete Ruiz (6-7) earned the win for the Drive with six economical, shutout innings. Ruiz yielded just two hits and two walks while fanning two batters. Over his six innings of work, he threw just 66 pitches.

On the offensive side of things, the Drive jumped on Kannapolis starter Matt Hopps (1-8) immediately, as Derrik Gibson led off with a hustling double to left. Zach Gentile then singled through the right side to score Gibson, and Ronald Bermudez followed a Chris McGuiness walk with an infield single to load the bases with no one out.

Although Shannon Wilkerson grounded into a double play, Gentile scored Greenville's second run on the play. Michael Almanzar then made it 3-0 with a double to left that plated Chris McGuiness.

The Drive tacked on another run in the second inning. Reynaldo Rodriguez was hit by a pitch leading off the inning, and Christian Vazquez reached safely on a bad throw to second by the pitcher, Hopps. Gibson then struck out to bring up Gentile, who reached on an infield single.

That loaded the bases with one out for McGuiness, who singled sharply to rightfield to score Rodriguez for a 4-0 Drive lead. Greenville missed an opportunity for more damage when Ronald Bermudez - the team's leading RBI man - grounded into a double play to end the inning.

The Intimidators scraped across their only run of the game - an unearned one at that - in the top of the seventh against Drive reliever Armando Zerpa. Ian Gac and Nick Ciolli led off the frame with consecutive singles, and Kannapolis then loaded the bases as a result of Vladimir Frias' misplay on a fly ball to right off the bat of Jose Vargas.

Zerpa, however, limited the damage by striking out Ryan Hamme, inducing a fielder's choice grounder out of Miguel Gonzalez (which allowed Gac to score), and getting Jake Oester to hit into another fielder's choice grounder to end the inning.

After Zerpa pitched a scoreless eighth, Anatanaer Batista came on in the ninth and closed things out for his fifth save of the year.

Having split the first two games of this four-game set, the Drive and the Intimidators meet again on Thursday, with first pitch set for 7:05 PM. Right-hander Kendal Volz (6-3, 3.93 ERA) gets the call for Greenville against Kannapolis righty Cameron Bayne (6-8, 4.22 ERA).

Tomorrow is also $1 Drink Night at Fluor Field, where 12 ounce Pepsi products are just a buck at all of the concession stands. In addition, those fans at least 21-years-of-age can head over to The 500 Club for draft specials. For more information regarding single-game tickets, group outings, and luxury accommodations, visit www.GreenvilleDrive.com or call (864) 240-4500.

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South Atlantic League Stories from July 21, 2010


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