Drive Complete Sunday Comeback 4-3 in the 10th
July 23, 2023 - South Atlantic League (SAL)
Greenville Drive News Release
Things got a little PG-13 during Princess Day at Fluor Field as four members of the Greenville Drive (12-12, 48-42) were ejected, including manager Iggy Suarez. However, just as the clock seemingly was about to reach midnight and turn the Drive back into a pumpkin, they rallied behind assistant coach Taylor Jackson (who ascended to the throne as manager from Iggy Suarez after his ejection) for a 4-3 victory in extras over the Asheville Tourists (9-15, 35-50). Thus, the win also marked history for the Drive as Jackson becomes the first female coach to notch a win as manager when she took over Suarez following his ejection.
The game seemed to be an all-Asheville affair as runs, hits, bounces and calls went the Tourists way early. But up 3-0 in the bottom of the ninth, things would fall apart for Asheville as the Drive capitalized on their opportunities knotting the game at 3-3 with a two-out rally. After Ronald Rosario grounded into a double play, Eddinson Paulino walked, and Max Ferguson singled to put runners on the corners. Kier Meredith would send a flare into center during the ensuing at bat scoring Paulino to cut the lead to 3-1.
Meredith would steal second base putting the tying runs in scoring position for Eduardo Lopez. And he would not miss, slapping a line drive single into centerfield scoring both Ferguson and Meredith to knot the game at 3-3.
As the game flipped to extras, Paulino made a diving stop and high-IQ play to catch the Tourists ghost runner in a pickle and keep the Tourists from scoring in extras. As the Drive came up to the plate, Nick Decker would move Brainer Bonaci from his ghost runner position at second to third and put runners on the corners. The Tourists intentionally walked Tyler Miller to load the bases and then ring up Rosario to put the pressure on Paulino.
And Paulino delivered, barreling up a ball that would be caught on the warning track, scoring Bonaci from third on what would be scored a walk-off sac-fly, giving the Drive the 4-3 victory in the 10th.
As for the early action, Drive starter Dalton Rogers was in a groove Sunday afternoon, working through the first four innings giving up just one run in the second. It'd come via a pickoff attempt that ultimately nabbed the runner in a pickle but allowed the runner from third to score before the tag was applied.
After ringing up two batters to start the fifth inning, Rogers would walk a batter then hit the ensuing batter with a pitch putting two on for Asheville hitter Tim Borden II. A double steal put Rolando Espinosa and Jacob Melton on second and third respectively, and Borden II delivered with a single up the middle to score both runners and boost the lead to 3-0.
Rogers would exit the game after the fifth, allowing three runs, three hits, three walks and striking out eight. But the Drive couldn't give Rogers the support he needed, as they compiled eight runs but couldn't scratch any runs across through the first eight innings.
They'd come close in the first inning as a Brainer Bonaci single brought Roman Anthony around third but the throw from left fielder, Michael Sandle nabbed Anthony as he slid into home denying the Drive an early lead. The Drive would get a chance in the sixth as well, as Allan Castro led off with a single and Bonaci followed that up with a double to put two runners in scoring position with no outs. Bryan Gonzalez would be ejected during the ensuing at-bat with two strikes leading to a Nick Decker strikeout. Tyler Miller and Ronald Rosario would each strikeout ending the threat.
But it would all settle well as the levee finally broke in the ninth for the Drive, delivering the storybook ending the Drive deserved on Princess Day at Fluor Field.
The Greenville Drive (Boston Red Sox) return to action at 7:35 p.m. on Tuesday, July 25 as they travel to Kentucky to take on the Bowling Green Hot Rods (Houston Astros) for a six-game series. The Drive's victory on Sunday over Asheville earned them a split of the series.
South Atlantic League Stories from July 23, 2023
- Grasshoppers Defeat the Blue Rocks, 8-1, for Series Win - Greensboro Grasshoppers
- Grasshoppers Fall to the Blue Rocks 2-1 on Saturday Evening - Greensboro Grasshoppers
- Drive Complete Sunday Comeback 4-3 in the 10th - Greenville Drive
- Near Shutout Turns into Extra-Inning Loss - Asheville Tourists
- Renegades Fall to Brooklyn Rally - Hudson Valley Renegades
- Homers Help Cyclones Claim Series Victory over Renegades - Brooklyn Cyclones
- Simmons, Ward Homer as Claws Win 3rd Straight Game - Jersey Shore BlueClaws
- Dash Drop Series Finale 7-5 to Jersey Shore - Winston-Salem Dash
- Braves Drop Series Finale in Extras - Rome Emperors
- HVR Game Notes - July 23, 2023 - Hudson Valley Renegades
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