Drive Defeat Grasshoppers 5-4 in 13 Innings
August 17, 2015 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Greenville Drive News Release
Greensboro, NC - Nine innings weren't enough to decide a winner in Monday's series opener between the Greenville Drive and Greensboro Grasshoppers, but the Drive received late contributions from a wide cast of characters in a 5-4, 13-inning victory.
With one out in the top of the 13th, J.T. Watkins tripled to right field off Jose Velez (1-1), and two batters later, Hector Lorenzana laced a double to right to put the Drive (23-27, 61-59) ahead for good.
Lorenzana wasn't the only hero for Greenville on the night, as the bullpen receive herculean efforts from Edwar Garcia, Mario Alcantara and Carlos Pinales (5-4), who each threw three scoreless innings of relief to keep Greensboro off the board from the fourth inning on.
The Grasshoppers (14-36, 43-76) jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first when K.J. Woods cranked a two-run homer to right-center off Jake Drehoff to score Rony Cabrera, who singled.
A four-run third inning put the Drive ahead 4-2. After a Carlos Mesa hit by pitch and singles by Hector Lorenzana and Joseph Monge loaded the bases with no outs, Danny Mars followed with the third consecutive single of the inning to plate Mesa. Zach Sullivan then misplayed the ball in center field to allow the other two runners to score. Later in the frame, a Tyler Kolek wild pitch plated Mars.
Greensboro tied things up in the bottom of the fourth when an error by Javier Guerra brought home a run and a single by Sullivan scored a second run.
Lorenzana and Nick Longhi picked up two hits apiece for Greenville. In his Drive debut, Andrew Benintendi, this summer's Golden Spikes Award winner at the University of Arkansas, went 0-4 with a pair of walks while hitting cleanup and playing center field.
Mason Davis was the lone Greensboro player with a two-hit night.
A pair of southpaws will take the mound on Tuesday night in Greensboro at 7:00 PM. Luis Ramos (1-2, 8.10) starts for the Drive, and the Grasshoppers will counter with Michael Mader (5-11, 4.87).
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