SAL1 Greenville Drive

Drive Defeat GreenJackets 7-6 in Series Opener

Published on July 14, 2015 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Greenville Drive News Release


Greenville, SC - Behind a quality pitching performance from Jalen Beeks and a strong offensive night all throughout the lineup, the Greenville Drive came away with a 7-6 victory over the Augusta GreenJackets in Tuesday's series opener at Fluor Field.

Beeks (8-4) was terrific in providing the Drive (10-9, 48-41) with the longest outing by a pitcher this season, and his eight-inning outing and eight strikeouts were both career highs. He was supported by the Drive offense, which saw all nine players collect at least one hit.

He was placed in line for the win in the bottom of the seventh, when the Drive scored three times off Augusta reliever Raymundo Montero (3-5). Singles by Yoan Moncada and Rafael Devers set the stage for Mike Meyers, who laced a two-run double off the Green Monster to break a 3-3 tie. Javier Guerra followed with an RBI single to extend the lead.

The GreenJackets made things interesting by scoring a pair of runs in the top of the ninth off Kuehl McEachern. RBI singles by Johneshwy Fargas and Aramis Garcia cut the Drive lead to 7-6, but McEachern struck out Chuckie Jones to end the game and log his seventh save.

Moncada put the Drive ahead 2-0 in the second inning with a two-run, opposite field homer over the Monster against Sam Coonrod. The homer was his third of the season, and his first at Fluor Field.

Augusta answered back in the third with three runs against Beeks. Fargas reached on a fielder's choice and came home on a Travious Relaford RBI single, and Garcia smacked a two-run homer, his first of two long balls on the night, to put the GreenJackets ahead.

An RBI single by Joseph Monge in the sixth tied things up at three and scored Nick Longhi, who singled to begin the frame.

Meyers and Moncada each had two hits and two RBI to lead the Greenville offense, while Michael Chavis and Rafael Devers added a pair of hits. Garcia had a monster offensive night for Augusta, going 4-5 with a pair of homers and four RBI. Relaford and Will Callaway collected two hits as well.

The teams will turn around quickly as they face off at 11:05 AM on Wednesday in Downtown Greenville. LH Dedgar Jimenez (5-5, 3.63) starts on the mound for the Drive, and the GreenJackets will counter with RH Chris Johnson (1-1, 4.50).

Check out the Greenville Drive Statistics

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South Atlantic League Stories from July 14, 2015


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