SAL1 Greenville Drive

Drive End Homestand with 7-4 Loss to Crawdads

Published on July 3, 2011 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Greenville Drive News Release


Greenville, SC - Fireworks were present at Fluor Field after Sunday night ‚¬â„¢s game, but that was the second fireworks show of the evening. The Hickory Crawdads (46-33, 6-5) provided the first, collecting 15 hits on the evening and scored five runs from the seventh inning on to pick up a 7-4 victory over the Greenville Drive (45-36, 7-4). The Crawdads were able to salvage the final game of the series after losing on Friday and Saturday. The Drive finished the homestand with a 4-3 record.

Early on, it looked like the Drive would run away with the victory, as they got to Crawdads starter Nick McBride early and often. Sean Coyle hit a one-out single to begin the threat in the bottom of the first. Coyle moved to second on a Drew Hedman single to left field. Christian Vazquez followed with a hard single to right, scoring Coyle and moving Hedman to third. After Michael Almanzar hit a high chopper over first base for a double, Hedman scored to give the Drive an early 2-0 lead.

The Drive added a single run in the bottom half of the second. Lucas LeBlanc reached on a two-base error by Hickory second baseman Odubel Herrera. Felix Sanchez snuck a single through the left side to move LeBlanc to third, and a passed ball brought LeBlanc home to push the lead to 3-0.

Hickory countered with single runs in the third and fourth innings off Drive starter Keith Couch. Jonathan Roof singled with one out in the third and advanced to second on a swinging bunt by Jurickson Profar. Herrera then brought Roof home with a single. Andrew Clark doubled to lead off the fourth, was singled to third by Josh Richmond, and plated on a Jake Skole sacrifice fly to center.

Couch pitched effectively around damage all night. He allowed just those two runs despite giving up nine hits in six innings.

Greenville picked up their final run in the fourth when Xander Bogaerts hit a laser down the left-field line that just wrapped around the foul pole atop the Green Monster for a solo homer. It was the second consecutive game with a round tripper for Bogaerts.

The Crawdads made their move against Greenville reliever Tyler Lockwood, who was rudely greeted by four consecutive hits to lead off the seventh. Roof doubled to begin the frame, and Profar singled him to third. Roof was caught napping during Herrera ‚¬â„¢s at-bat and picked off by Drive catcher Christian Vazquez. Herrera followed with a double into the left-field corner, bringing in Profar all the way from first. Tomas Telis then hit his own RBI double to left to plate Herrera.

Garrett Rau came in to pitch the eighth for the Drive, but like Lockwood, he struggled. After Richmond walked and Skole singled to start the inning, Rau threw Yefry Castillo ‚¬â„¢s sacrifice bunt attempt into right field, scoring Richmond. During Profar ‚¬â„¢s at bat, Rau hurled a wild pitch to bring in Skole to cap the Crawdads ‚¬â„¢ scoring.

The Drive made it interesting in the bottom of the ninth against Hickory ‚¬â„¢s Joe Van Meter. After recording two outs, Van Meter issued a walk to Sanchez, then gave up a single to Coyle and walked Brandon Jacobs to load the bases. Drew Hedman couldn ‚¬â„¢t keep the rally going for the Drive, popping up to shortstop to end the game.

Colby Killian (6-2) picked up the win in relief for Hickory, and Van Meter recorded his fourth save of the season. Lockwood took the loss to fall to 4-5. The Crawdads received three-hit efforts from Herrera and Telis, while Clark, Richmond, Roof, and Skole each picked up two hits. Almanzar and Coyle each had three hits for the Drive, and Vazquez picked up two hits.

The Drive will now hit the road for a seven games, beginning with three contests versus the Tourists at McCormick Field. Tomorrow night ‚¬â„¢s first pitch is set of 7:05 PM with right-hander Tyler Wilson (1-0, 0.00 ERA) toeing the rubber for Greenville while Asheville counters with right-hander Juan Gonzalez (0-4, 13.20 ERA).

The Drive return home to Fluor Field on July 12th in a rematch of the 2010 and 2011 South Atlantic League Championship Series ‚¬â„¢ against the Lakewood BlueClaws. 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 5,720

Check out the Greenville Drive Statistics

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South Atlantic League Stories from July 3, 2011


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