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Greenville Drive

Drive Finish Sweep of Sand Gnats with 12-1 Blowout

June 19, 2011 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Greenville Drive News Release


Greenville, SC - No team will be more disappointed to see the first half end than the Greenville Drive (38-32). The Drive bats were on fire Sunday at Fluor Field en route to a dominant 12-1 victory over the Savannah Sand Gnats (39-30). The win completes a four-game sweep over the Sand Gnats, who entered the series having already clinched the first-half Southern Division title.

The Drive lineup pounded out 11 hits, led by three-hit days from Heiker Meneses and Christian Vazquez. Meneses added two runs, two RBI and two stolen bases to complete his stellar day. Vazquez, whose parents were in attendance from Puerto Rico for Father's Day, hit a three-run homer to highlight the Drive attack.

Meneses hit a leadoff single and stole two bases in the bottom of the first. After Brandon Jacobs drew a two-out walk, Vazquez launched a deep fly to left that hooked around the pole atop the Green Monster to give the Drive an early 3-0 lead.

The lead was pushed to 4-0 in the second inning after Felix Sanchez walked and scored from first on Meneses' double down the left field line.

Both Sand Gnats starter Gonzalez Germen and Drive starter Brandon Workman came out of the game after a 46-minute rain delay in the middle of the third inning.

The Drive added a four-spot in the fourth to make the score 8-0. Lucas LeBlanc and Sanchez hit back-to-back singles with one out, and Meneses doubled once again to score LeBlanc. Sean Coyle hit a deep sacrifice fly to right to score Sanchez, and Miles Head capped the inning with a two-run homer over the Green Monster, his 14th of the season.

Savannah scratched across their only run in the sixth inning. Rafael Fernandez singled and moved to third on a double by Aderlin Rodriguez. Sam Honeck then grounded out to first base to score Fernandez.

The Drive added four more runs in the bottom of the seventh to break the game open even further. Coyle led off with a double and after Head walked, Jacobs crushed a two-run double to deep right-center. Vazquez followed him up with a double of his own to score Jacobs. The final run came across when Fernandez dropped LeBlanc's fly ball, scoring Vazquez.

Tyler Lockwood (4-3) picked up the win with a solid relief stint of Workman. The right-hander went three innings, giving up one run and striking out two. Charle Rosario threw three shutout innings to record his third save. Germen (5-3) took the loss, giving up four runs in two innings of work.

Fernandez and Alonzo Harris recorded three hits apiece for Savannah, while Darrell Ceciliani and Rodriguez each added a pair of hits.

Following the South Atlantic League's mid-season All-Star break, the Drive head to Lexington, KY on Thursday to begin the second half of the regular season with a four-game series against the Legends. Right-hander Keith Couch (2-1, 3.34) will head to the hill for Greenville in the opener.

The Drive kick-off the home portion of the second half on Monday, June 27th at Fluor Field. The Drive will celebrate BI-LO's 50th Anniversary with plenty of fuelperks! bonus rewards, including one lucky fan winning FREE GAS FOR A YEAR! For more information regarding single-game tickets, luxury accommodations, group outings, and ticket plan packages call (864) 240-4500 or visit www.GreenvilleDrive.com.

GAME NOTES: Attendance was 4,876...this was the 1st sweep of the season for Greenville...during the Drive's 7-game win streak they have outscored opponents 42-13...Sean Coyle doubled in the 7th, giving him 23 extra-base hits on the season of his 35 total hits (12 doubles, 5 triples, 6 homers)

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South Atlantic League Stories from June 19, 2011


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