Drive Blank RiverDogs, 4-0, on Friday

July 5, 2019 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Greenville Drive News Release

GREENVILLE, S.C. - The Greenville Drive shutout the Charleston RiverDogs, 4-0, on Friday night at Fluor Field behind strong pitching from Chase Shugart and Alex Demchak.

Shugart improved to 4-0 on the year, as he worked 6.1 scoreless innings, allowing four hits with five strikeouts against three walks. After allowing a pair of singles to start the second, Shugart retired 14 of the next 15 batters he faced without allowing a hit during that stretch.

The Drive opened the scoring with a run in the third. Everlouis Lozada reached on a two-out, infield single and moved to second on an error. Tyler Esplin then singled up the middle to score him and put the Drive in front, 1-0.

Greenville added to the lead in the sixth. With two outs and no one on, Triston Casas hit his 15th home run of the season with a 434-foot off the videoboard in right center. Devlin Granberg then followed with his seventh home run of the season with solo shot to left center, giving the home team a 3-0 lead.

Shugart faced a bit of trouble in the sixth, as Charleston put runners at first and second with one out thanks to a pair of walks. The Drive turned to Demchak, who came on and recorded a strikeout and a foul popout to first to strand the two runners.

After Demchak worked a 1-2-3 top of the eighth inning, the Drive would tack on an insurance run in the bottom half. Grant Williams hustled out a double to center to start the inning, before moving to third on a groundout and later scoring on a wild pitch to make it a 4-0 game. Demchak, who earned his first save of the season, worked around a one-out walk in ninth to preserve the shutout for the Drive.

Lozada led the Drive offense for the second straight night, going 2-for-4 with a run. Three of the Drive's six hits went for extra bases, as Casas and Granberg each homered and Williams added the double.

The series continues on Saturday with a 7:05 p.m. first pitch. The Drive will send right-hander Chris Machamer to the mound, taking on Charleston right-hander Alexander Vizcaino.

South Atlantic League Stories from July 5, 2019

• Anderson Has Two-Homer Game in 'Dads Debut - Hickory Crawdads
• Olague Dominates as Rome Defeats Asheville 5-1 - Rome Emperors
• Lexington Powers off West Virginia in 11-7 Victory - Lexington Legends
• Pitching Staff Throws Gem to Give Kannapolis Win in Vaughn's Debut - Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
• Olague Steals the Show, Fires CG against Tourists - Asheville Tourists
• Six-Run Fifth Inning Drowns Power Friday Night - Charleston Dirty Birds
• 'Birds Slide by Suns, Retain Gov's Cup - Delmarva Shorebirds
• Jackets Offense Struggles as Kannapolis Wins 5-0 - Augusta GreenJackets
• Suns Unable to Take Advantage of 'Birds Miscues - Hagerstown Suns
• RiverDogs Offense Goes Flat in Game Two - Charleston RiverDogs
• Drive Blank RiverDogs, 4-0, on Friday - Greenville Drive
• Fireflies Game Notes: July 5 at Hickory - Columbia Fireflies
• Game Notes (July 5) - Charleston Dirty Birds
• Hagerstown Suns Game Notes - Hagerstown Suns
• RiverDogs Promise Five-Star, Three-Day Homestand Starting Tuesday - Charleston RiverDogs
• Tourists Hold off Braves 4-3 in Series Opener - Rome Emperors
• Sharp's Eighth-Inning Homer Propels Fireflies to Independence Day Victory - Columbia Fireflies

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