Drive Answer Asheville Rally with Six-Run Eighth, Beat Tourists 11-5
SAL Greenville Drive

Drive Answer Asheville Rally with Six-Run Eighth, Beat Tourists 11-5

Published on April 26, 2026 under South Atlantic League (SAL)
Greenville Drive News Release


ASHEVILLE, N.C. - The Greenville Drive watched a three-run lead slip away in the seventh inning Saturday night. One half-inning later, they took it back with their loudest response of the series.

Greenville scored six runs in the eighth inning, powered by a bases-loaded walk, three run-scoring hits and a two-out, two-run single from Justin Gonzales, as the Drive beat the Asheville Tourists 11-5 in game five of the six-game series at HomeTrust Park.

The win moved Greenville back to .500 at 10-10 and gave the Drive their fourth victory in five games against Asheville, which fell to 5-15.

The Drive hit four home runs in the win, getting solo shots from Henry Godbout, Yophery Rodriguez and Yoeilin Cespedes, along with a two-run homer from Isaiah Jackson. Jackson finished with three RBI, three walks, a stolen base and his third home run of the season. Rodriguez went 2-for-3 with a homer, two RBI, two runs scored and a walk, while Cespedes added two hits, two runs scored and his third homer of the year.

Greenville led 4-2 entering the bottom of the seventh before Asheville scored three runs to move in front. Caden Powell opened the inning with a single, stole second, then moved again as Justin Thomas Jr. walked. Powell scored on a throwing error during a double steal, Thomas later came home on Ethan Frey's sacrifice fly, and Jason Schiavone scored on a wild pitch to put the Tourists ahead 5-4.

The Drive answered immediately.

Godbout opened the eighth with a walk, Cespedes followed with another walk and Jack Winnay was hit by a pitch to load the bases with no outs against Asheville reliever Joan Ogando. Jackson walked to force in Godbout and tie the game at 5-5.

After Adonys Guzman struck out, Rodriguez lined a single to center to score Cespedes and put Greenville back in front. Antonio Anderson followed with a single through the right side to score Winnay, extending the lead to 7-5.

Stanley Tucker then hit into a force out at the plate, but Ogando uncorked a wild pitch that brought Rodriguez home and moved Anderson and Tucker into scoring position. Gonzales followed with the decisive swing of the inning, shooting a two-out single through the right side to score both runners and give Greenville a 10-5 lead.

Cespedes added to it in the ninth, driving an 0-2 pitch from Jose Guedez over the wall in left field to cap Greenville's scoring.

The late surge made a winner of Steven Brooks, who entered in the seventh and stabilized the game after Asheville's rally. Brooks allowed two hits over 2 2/3 scoreless innings, walking three and striking out four to improve to 1-1. He stranded traffic in both the eighth and ninth, helping Greenville hold Asheville to 2-for-13 with runners in scoring position and 11 runners left on base.

Before the late drama, Anthony Eyanson gave the Drive another dominant start. The right-hander struck out nine over 4 1/3 scoreless innings, allowing just one hit and no walks. He threw 43 of his 64 pitches for strikes and lowered his ERA to 0.54. Eyanson is off to an incredible start to the season, striking out 27 without allowing a free pass.

Eyanson struck out the first two hitters he faced, worked around an error in the second with a line-drive double play, then struck out the side in the third. Asheville did not record its first hit until Frey singled with two outs in the fourth. Eyanson came back out for the fifth and struck out Cesar Hernandez looking before Danny Kirwin took over.

Greenville gave Eyanson an early lead in the first when Godbout homered to center field off Dylan Howard on a 1-1 pitch. It was Godbout's second home run of the season and put the Drive ahead 1-0.

Jackson stretched the lead in the fourth. Winnay opened the inning with a single to left-center, and Jackson followed by driving a 2-0 pitch to center field for a two-run homer, his third of the year, giving Greenville a 3-0 advantage.

Asheville got back into the game in the fifth after Eyanson exited. Max Holy walked, stole second and scored on Kyle Walker's two-out single to shallow left. Walker stole second, Powell walked and Thomas Jr. walked to load the bases. Brandon Neely entered for Greenville, but Schiavone drew a bases-loaded walk to cut the Drive lead to 3-2 before Neely struck out Frey to end the inning.

Rodriguez pushed the margin back to two runs in the seventh, leading off the inning with a solo homer to right field on a 3-1 pitch against Ogando. It was Rodriguez's fifth home run of the season and gave Greenville a 4-2 lead before Asheville's three-run bottom half.

Ogando took the loss for Asheville, falling to 0-3 after allowing seven runs on four hits and four walks over two innings. Howard allowed three runs on five hits over 5 2/3 innings, striking out four and walking two.

Greenville finished with 10 hits, all singles or home runs, and went 3-for-8 with runners in scoring position. The Drive also drew six walks and left just four runners on base.

The Tourists managed six hits, with Narbe Cruz's eighth-inning double their only extra-base hit. Schiavone, Frey and Walker drove in Asheville's three RBI.

The Drive look to finish off the series with a win today in game 6.

Check out the Greenville Drive Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



South Atlantic League Stories from April 26, 2026


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central