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Greenville Drive

Drive Complete Sweep of RiverDogs with 7-5 Victory

June 26, 2013 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Greenville Drive News Release


The Greenville Drive (4-3, 26-50) played the role of comeback kids on Wednesday, as they used four runs in the last two innings to defeat the Charleston RiverDogs (3-4, 42-33) 7-5 at Fluor Field. With the win, the Drive completed their first sweep of the season.

With the game tied 5-5 in the bottom of the eighth, Mookie Betts delivered the big hit, as his single through the right side with two outs scored Aneury Tavarez and Felix Sanchez to give the Drive the lead.

The rally made a winner out of Drive reliever Yunior Ortega (2-2), who faced the minimum in three innings of work, allowing just one hit that was erased on a caught stealing. Kyle Kraus threw a scoreless ninth to earn his second save of the season.

Charleston scored all of their runs in the first five innings courtesy of first baseman Greg Bird, who continued his season-long hot streak against the Drive. He touched up Drive starter Francellis Montas for an RBI double in the first, an RBI single in the third and a three-run homer to left field in the fifth.

The Drive got on the board in the third after back-to-back doubles by Betts and Jose Vinicio.

In the bottom half of the fifth, Sanchez smacked a single to center field, swiped second base and eventually scored on a wild pitch. Mario Martinez hit an RBI single later in the inning to make it a two-run game.

The Drive tied the game in the seventh against RiverDogs reliever Brett Gerritse (6-5). Betts led off with a single and scored during the next at-bat when shortstop Jose Vinicio laced a double off of the Green Monster in left field. David Chester followed with another double to knock in Vinicio and knot things up.

Betts reached base in all five plate appearances to lead the Greenville offense. He went 4-4 with a walk, three runs scored and two RBIs. Vinicio continued his hot streak with three hits and two RBIs of his own.

After going 3-4 with a homer and 5 RBIs on Wednesday, Bird now is 20-55 (.363) with seven homers, 20 RBI, 13 runs and 11 walks in 15 games at Fluor Field.

The Drive will travel to Kannapolis to begin a four-game set on Thursday night. First pitch is set for 7:05. LHP Cody Kukuk (4-7, 4.21) will start on the mound for the Drive, and RHP Kyle Hansen (2-3, 5.09) is the starter for the Intimidators.

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