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SAL1 Greenville Drive

Almanzar Sends Drive Home Victorious, 3-2

August 4, 2010 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Greenville Drive News Release


Greenville, SC - Michael Almanzar's solo home run over the Green Monster to lead off the bottom of the eleventh inning gave the Drive (59-50, 23-16) a thrilling 3-2, walk-off victory over the Lakewood BlueClaws Wednesday night at Fluor Field.

Almanzar connected off Lakewood reliever Joe Esposito (1-1) to finally end an extremely close, back-and-forth contest. The Drive, wearing jerseys with pink sleeves and numbers as part of Susan G. Komen Night, took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the seventh on the strength of Christian Vazquez's RBI-single that scored Reymond Fuentes.

However, the BlueClaws answered right back in the top of the eighth, tying the score on a sharp grounder by Jonathan Singleton that eluded Drive shortstop Derrik Gibson for an error. Reliever Tom Ebert avoided further trouble by inducing an inning-ending double play from Lakewood's Sebastian Valle.

Nevertheless, it was Valle who opened the scoring. The Lakewood catcher, who has torched Drive pitching thus far in this series, victimized Greenville starter Drake Britton by hitting a towering solo blast over the Green Monster to give the BlueClaws a 1-0 lead in the second inning.

Greenville evened the score in the bottom of the third when Almanzar - beginning what would be a memorable night for him - ripped a two-out double to left-center field that brought home Ronald Bermudez all the way from first base. The score remained 1-1 until the aforementioned bottom of the seventh.

Obviously, in what was a low-scoring game, the pitching was solid on both sides. Britton went five strong innings for the Drive, scattering four hits while giving up just the one run. He did not issue a walk and he fanned seven Lakewood batters. Tom Ebert came on for four innings of relief during which he only gave up one run, and Anatanaer Batista (4-5) earned the victory with two scoreless innings.

BlueClaws starter Colby Shreve also went five innings while only yielding one run. He gave up six hits and one walk while striking out three. Reliever Julio Rodriguez gave up no runs outside of Vazquez's RBI-single, and he recorded six strikeouts in four innings. Esposito pitched a scoreless tenth before finding himself on the losing end of Almanzar's heroics in the eleventh inning.

The Drive, having taken two of three so far in this series, face off against the BlueClaws Thursday night at Fluor Field in the conclusion of this four-game set. Southpaw Manuel Rivera (3-9, 4.35 ERA) will take the hill for Greenville against Lakewood righty Jonathan Pettibone (4-5, 3.97 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.

Thursday will also be $1 Drink Night at Fluor Field, where fans can get purchase 12 ounce Pepsi products at any of the concession stands for a buck. For more information regarding single-game tickets, luxury accommodations, and group outings, call (864) 240-4500 or log onto www.GreenvilleDrive.com.

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