SAL1 Greenville Drive

Drive Win Fourth Straight with 7-6 Victory

Published on September 1, 2012 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Greenville Drive News Release


Greenville, SC - Fluor Field was home to a game full of twists and turns, and a lot of hits and errors, on Saturday night. The Greenville Drive (65-72, 31-36) took advantage of four Hickory Crawdads (73-64, 37-31) errors and managed to escape with a 7-6 win.

After Hickory put runners on the corners with nobody out in the ninth, Nate Striz entered the game for the Drive. He induced a deep fly out from Drew Robinson to bring a runner home and make the score 7-6. After a wild pitch and the second out of the inning, Striz walked Zach Cone. He then uncorked another wild pitch to put runners at second and third, but he got Alejandro Selen to chase a 97 mile-per-hour fastball to end the game. It was Striz's eighth save of the year.

The Drive took the lead for good in the bottom of the seventh courtesy of Cody Koback. His double down the left-field line with one out scored Dreily Guerrero to tie the game at five. He quickly swiped third and scored the go-ahead run when the throw bounced into left field.

Greenville got out in front early, as they scored four runs in the bottom of the first aided by two Hickory errors. After a Cody Koback fielder's choice, Drew Turocy reached on the first error on a mishandled grounder to third. Blake Swihart's single then scored Koback, and the second error in left field allowed Turocy to scoot to third. A wild pitch then plated Turocy and advanced Swihart to second. After Crawdads starter Kevin Matthews issued a pair of two-out walks, Jordan Weems lined a single into left to score Swihart and Boss Moanaroa to stake the Drive to a 4-0 lead.

The Crawdads got on the board in the top of the third. Hirotoshi Onaka singled to left with one out, and Luis Sardinas followed by smacking a two-run shot into the visiting bullpen to cut the Drive lead to 4-2.

Hickory added two more runs in the sixth. After Trever Adams singled with one out, Zach Cone smoked a double to the left-center wall to bring in Adams. Cone moved to third on a wild pitch, and Jorge Alfaro knotted the game up at four with a single to left. They took the temporary lead in the seventh when Adams' two-out single to left brought home Jordan Akins, who led off with a single.

The Drive added an insurance run in the eighth, and it proved to be the difference. Moanaroa led off with a single, advanced to second on a sac bunt, and came around to score when Weems laced a single past third base.

Nefi Ogando (4-4) picked up the win in relief for the Drive. The run he allowed in the seventh snapped his streak of 22 1/3 consecutive scoreless innings. Noe Ramirez started on the mound, and he allowed four runs in five and two-thirds while striking out seven Hickory hitters. Crawdads starter Kevin Matthews allowed one earned run in five innings while walking four and striking out eight. Santo Perez (4-10) took the loss after allowing three runs, only one of which was earned, in three innings.

Weems led the way at the plate for the Drive, as he went 3-4 and drove in three. Moanaroa also collected three hits. Onaka had three hits for the Crawdads, while Adams, Alfaro and Sardinas each picked up two hits.

The third game of the four-game set is on Sunday night at Fluor Field. First pitch is set for 7:05. RHP Madison Younginer (1-7, 6.49) is the scheduled starter for the Drive, while RHP Nick Martinez (7-6, 4.73) will take the mound for Hickory.

Tomorrow evening's game has several different themes with Komen for the Cure Night, in which the Drive will wear pink jerseys for Breast Cancer Awareness, the Summer Reading All-Stars will be recognized, and there will be post-game fireworks! For more information, log onto GreenvilleDrive.com or call (864) 240-4500.

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South Atlantic League Stories from September 1, 2012


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