SAL1 Greenville Drive

Drive Still Can't Figure out Braves, Lose 8-4

August 14, 2011 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Greenville Drive News Release


Greenville, SC - Despite have the South Atlantic League's worst record this season, the Rome Braves (47-72, 22-26) have been a thorn in the Drive's (64-54, 26-22) side in 2011. That trend continued at Fluor Field on Sunday in the first meeting of a five-game series, as the visiting Braves doubled up Greenville, 8-4.

With the win, Rome improved to 8-6 against the Drive this year, and are the only Southern Division opponent with a winning record at Fluor Field, posting a 3-1 record.

Miguel Celestino (8-5) failed to bring his A-game in the afternoon contest as he surrendered five runs in 5.0 innings, matching a season-high with eight hits allowed, in a bid to pick-up his team-leading ninth win. The Braves wasted little time in getting to the right-hander plating a run in the top of the first on Evan Gattis' RBI-single.

Two innings later Rome upped their lead to four runs as Matt Weaver, Tommy La Stella, Gattis and Evan Garcia tallied four straight one-out hits. La Stella followed Weaver's triple with a single, and Garcia brought in a pair of runs with his double to left field.

It wasn't until there were two outs in the bottom of the third when the Drive tallied their first hit, after Aaron Northcraft retired the first seven batters he faced. Drew Hedman roped a one-out double and scored on Felix Sanchez's two-out single.

The lone run didn't seem to face Northcraft, as he rebounded to strikeout the side in the bottom of the fourth. He would never get a chance to factor into the decision, however, as Greenville chased him from the game with two outs in the bottom of the fifth.

The Drive pulled within a run, scoring three runs with two outs with Sean Coyle doing the major damage with his 24th double of the season, knocking in Xander Bogaerts and David Renfroe. Brandon Jacobs added an RBI-single.

But when the Braves went to the bullpen, the Drive's bats became silent. Chasen Shreve (5-5) scattered three hits over 2.1 scoreless innings, and Gus Schlosser added 2.0 more scoreless frames to earn his sixth save.

Meanwhile, after Andrew Jones tossed 2.0 perfect innings in his first stint since being recalled from Lowell on Wednesday, Rome pulled away against Dennis Neuman.

Behind a solo homer by La Stella in the eighth, the first batter Neuman faced out of the bullpen, and a two-run shot by Robert Hefflinger an inning later, the Drive's chances at a comeback victory were thwarted.

The Drive and Braves will continue their series on Monday with a doubleheader at Fluor Field, beginning at 4:30 PM. Right-hander Kyle Stroup (4-5, 3.95 ERA) will toe the rubber for Greenville in game one, while Rome counters with southpaw Ronan Pacheco (4-6, 4.48 ERA). In game two, right-hander Tyler Wilson (2-2, 3.78 ERA) gets the call for the Drive, while the Braves send another lefty to the mound, Danilo Alvarez (4-4, 4.03 ERA).

During tomorrow's games, the Drive will recognize the AJ Whittenberg Elementary School of Engineering - the only engineering elementary school in the state of South Carolina - which also includes a parade for their students in-between the double dip. 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 3,521...Game 1 of Monday's doubleheader is the make-up of the August 4th game that was postponed at State Mutual Stadium in Rome, GA...both games on Monday will be 7-inning contests

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South Atlantic League Stories from August 14, 2011


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