Big First Inning Propels Drive to 5-3 Win

Published on May 2, 2015 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Greenville Drive News Release

Hagerstown, MD - The Greenville Drive (13-10) got off to a good start on Saturday night and never looked back, using a four-run first inning to defeat the Hagerstown Suns (10-12) 5-3 and even the series at a game apiece.

The Drive loaded the bases with nobody out against Suns starter Jefry Rodriguez (0-1) thanks to singles by Derek Miller and Ben Moore and a walk to Francisco Tellez. Rodriguez uncorked a wild pitch to bring home Miller and put the Drive on the board, and Rafael Devers hit an RBI groundout to make the score 2-0. Michael Chavis and Javier Guerra followed with RBI singles to cap the big inning.

Hagerstown answered with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the first against Dedgar Jimenez (0-1) after a triple by Alec Keller, an RBI double by D.K. Carey and an RBI single by Raudy Read.

Jimenez bounced back nicely after the first, only allowing an unearned run in his outing to get the win in his first start with the Drive. In five innings, he allowed two earned runs on five hits and one walk with five strikeouts.

Reed Reilly was outstanding in relief of Jimenez, giving up a single to his first batter faced and retiring the next 12 in order with five strikeouts to collect his first save of the season.

The Drive scored a run in the fourth against Suns reliever Brett Mooneyham when Moore delivered a two-out triple and came home on a bunt single by Nick Longhi.

Moore led the Greenville offensive with three hits and two runs, while Longhi, Miller and Tellez all collected two hits as well. Read was the lone Hagerstown batter with a two-hit night.

Sunday's action at Municipal Stadium in Hagerstown begins at 3:05 PM. RH Jamie Callahan (0-2, 5.19) takes the ball for the Drive, and the Suns will send RH Austen Williams (3-1, 0.83) to the mound.

South Atlantic League Stories from May 2, 2015

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• Shorebirds Hold off Augusta's Rally, 11-10 - Delmarva Shorebirds
• Martinezâ??s career night leads to fall of Rome - Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
• Four-Run First Does in Suns in 5-3 Loss - Hagerstown Suns
• Power fall 4-1 - Charleston Dirty Birds
• RiverDogs Clawed by Crawdads 4-1 - Charleston RiverDogs
• Big First Inning Propels Drive to 5-3 Win - Greenville Drive
• Legends Bounce Back with 12-3 Win over Asheville - Lexington Legends
• Legends Throttle Tourists 12-3 - Asheville Tourists
• Gnats Shut Out on Saturday 4-0 - Savannah Sand Gnats
• Oliver Tosses Seven Scoreless; Claws Blank Gnats 4-0 - Jersey Shore BlueClaws
• Sanchez Placed on Disabled List - Rome Emperors
• Avelino Promoted to Tampa; Tejeda Added to RiverDogs - Charleston RiverDogs
• WV Power Game Notes - Charleston Dirty Birds
• Umps Care Charities Auction Has Started - Hagerstown Suns

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