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Greenville Drive

Drive Win See-Saw Battle with Legends, 11-10, in 11 Innings

August 5, 2011 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Greenville Drive News Release


Greenville, SC - To say that Friday night's series opener between the Drive (61-49, 23-17) and Lexington Legends (50-61, 15-26) was filled with drama would be an understatement. Greenville eventually outlasted the Legends, scoring in the bottom of the 11th for a 11-10 walk-off victory, but not before watching their early five-run lead evaporate and erasing Lexington's four-run advantage in the bottom of the ninth.

Felix Sanchez's leadoff triple in the bottom of the first appeared to be a good omen, as Sean Coyle then followed with an RBI-double to centerfield off Mike Foltynewicz, just inches from clearing the fence for home run. Following a groundout by Brandon Jacobs the advanced Coyle to third, the diminutive second baseman crossed home on Christian Vazquez's groundout, putting the Drive up 2-0.

An inning later, Greenville took advantage of a pair of Legends defensive miscues for three more runs, capped by two-run double off the bat of Coyle.

Brandon Workman (4-6) was on cruise control for the first four innings as he didn't allow the Legends to record a hit until Mike Kvasnicka's one-out double in the top of the fourth, the 12th batter the right-hander faced. However, the game began to take an auspicious turn for the worse when the Legends took advantage of a pair of errors in the top of the fifth.

In what would be Workman's final inning on the hill, Lexington tallied three hits and two walks to go along with the Drive's errors, capped by Jay Austin's two-run double.

After Xander Bogaerts put Greenville back up by three runs with a towering three-run homer in the bottom of the sixth, the Legends countered with 7 runs in their next three at bats to shift the momentum. Reliever Scott Swinson lasted just 1.1 innings, surrendering four runs in the top of the seventh on five hits which included another two-run double by Austin.

Michael Olmsted did not fare much better out of the Greenville bullpen. After getting out of a bases loaded jam in the seventh to prevent further damage, the right-hander gave up two runs - one earned -in the eighth. The Legends tacked on what should have been an added insurance run of Michael Gleason in the ninth on Tyler Burnett's solo homer.

But in the bottom of the ninth, with the chances of a comeback looking bleak, the Drive did just that. Michael Almanzar and Drew Hedman began the inning with a single and double, respectively, and Drew Dominguez pushed across the first run with a RBI-groundout. Felix Sanchez was able to reach on an error, allowing Hedman to score and Jacobs then reached on catcher's interference - the Legends fifth and final error.

Christian Vazquez pulled Greenville within a run on a two-out, RBI-single which allowed Jacobs to go to third. The Drive miraculously tied the game as Jacobs crossed home on a wild pitch from Jason Chowning (4-4).

Both teams were held scoreless in the tenth, and Justin Erasmus (4-0) induced a perfectly executed double play to end the top of the 11th, holding the Legends off the scoreboard.

The game would come to an end during the Drive's at bat as Dominguez laced a leadoff single and Coyle drew a one-out walk. Stepping up to the plate hitless in his previous four at bats, the South Atlantic League's third-best hitter, Brandon Jacobs crushed a game-winning single off the Green Monster in leftfield.

The Drive and Legends continue their series on Saturday with first pitch set for 7:05 PM. Right-hander Keith Couch (5-3, 2.97 ERA) will toe the rubber for Greenville, while Lexington counters with right-hander Ruben Alaniz (5-9, 4.56 ERA).

During the game tomorrow, Myron Noodleman will visit Fluor Field, entertaining the crowd with his crazy antics. For more information regarding single-game tickets, luxury accommodations, group outings, and ticket plan packages call (864) 240-4500 or visit www.GreenvilleDrive.com.

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South Atlantic League Stories from August 5, 2011


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