SAL1 Greenville Drive

Drive Involved in Another One-Run Game, Win 5-4

Published on July 17, 2011 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Greenville Drive News Release


Greenville, SC - It didn't take a fortune teller to guess what was in store at Fluor Field on Sunday night. Not surprisingly, the Greenville Drive (50-44, 12-12) played one of their increasingly common one-run games, and it came in walk-off fashion. Felix Sanchez scored from third on a wild pitch to give the Drive a 5-4 victory over the Rome Braves (33-61, 8-16).

Sanchez began the rally with a crisp single to left field with one out. Sean Coyle just missed being the hero as he jumped on a Robert Roth (0-1) delivery, but it hit high off the Green Monster for a double, moving Sanchez to third. Brandon Jacobs was intentionally walked to set up the force, and during Drew Hedman's at-bat, Roth bounced a pitch that rolled towards the Drive dugout, easily scoring Sanchez for the win.

The Drive offense was kick-started in the bottom of the second by Carson Blair, who took a fastball from Rome starter Caleb Brewer and deposited it over the center field wall. It was Blair's first homer of the season and it scored James Kang, who walked with two outs.

Greenville added to the score in the third inning, although it had to overcome a terrific defensive play to do so. Jacobs hit a one-out single, and proceeded to steal second and third base on consecutive pitches. After walking Hedman, Brewer bounced a pitch in the dirt that deflected off catcher Evan Gattis and towards the mound. Jacobs broke for home, and Brewer, while falling over to pick up the ball, made a no-look glove flip to Gattis, catching a stunned Jacobs at the plate for the second out of the inning.

Hedman moved to second on the wild pitch and came around to score when Henry Ramos lined a double into the left-field corner to give the Drive a 3-0 lead.

Rome finally got on the board in the fourth against new Drive pitcher Garrett Rau. Chris Garcia crushed a solo homer off the batter's eye in straightaway center to pull the Braves within two. Greenville answered back in the bottom of the fifth when Coyle blasted a ball off the condos in left for a solo shot, pushing the lead to 4-1.

The Braves added another run against Rau in the sixth. Edward Salcedo and Garcia each drew walks with one out. Rau got Robby Hefflinger to fly out to deep center, but Evan Gattis singled to left to score Salcedo, which made the score 4-2 and ended Rau's evening.

Rome tacked on another run against Drive reliever Justin Erasmus in the seventh. Tony Mueller reached on a fielder's choice and moved into scoring position on a wild pitch. Matt Lipka followed with a single that plated Mueller and cut the lead to one.

Greenville put runners on in the bottom of the seventh but couldn't scratch. Coyle hit another double with two outs, and new Rome pitcher Matt Chaffee intentionally walked Jacobs. Coyle and Jacobs then pulled off a double steal to put the pressure on, but Chaffee froze Hedman on a 3-2 pitch to end the threat.

Rome threatened again in the eighth. With Erasmus still pitching, Gattis reached on an error with one out and was moved to third when Matt Weaver lined a single to right. Erasmus came up big, getting David Rohm to pop-out to shallow right and Kyle Rose to ground into a fielder's choice.

Michael Olmsted (1-0) came in for the save in the ninth, but he didn't get it. After allowing a broken bat infield single to Lipka with one out, Salcedo pounded a triple high off the center field fence to bring in Lipka to tie the game. Garcia then received a free pass to set up the double play. Olmsted escaped further damage by striking out Hefflinger and Gattis to end the frame.

Kyle Stroup got the start for Greenville after missing a month with an oblique strain and pitched three shutout innings while striking out four.

The Drive and Braves conclude their three-game series on Monday with first pitch set for 7:05 PM from Fluor Field. Right-hander Brandon Workman (2-4, 4.04 ERA) will toe the slab for Greenville in the rubber match, while Rome counters with right-hander Gary Moran (2-1, 4.07 ERA).

During tomorrow's game, participants in Greenville County's SAIL program will be recognized, including a pre-game "Parade of Champions" around the Fluor Field warning track. 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 4,087...Henry Ramos is batting .420 (21-for-50) with 4 RBI and 6 runs scored during his career-high 12-game hit streak, tallying 8 multi-hit efforts...33 of Sean Coyle's 55 hits this season have gone for extra bases - 19 doubles, 6 triples, 8 homers...the Drive have been involved in a league-leading 37 1-run games this season, posting a 17-20 record...11 of July's 16 games have been decided by a run (4-7 record)...the Drive and Braves have played 9 games against one another this season, with 8 of them decided by a run

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South Atlantic League Stories from July 17, 2011


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