Drive Defeat Intimidators 3-1 in Season Opener
Published on April 3, 2014 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Greenville Drive News Release
Kannapolis, NC-One of the beauties of Opening Day in baseball is that everyone's undefeated. After the first game of the 2014 season, the Greenville Drive (1-0) can still make that claim, as they did a little bit of everything right in a 3-1 victory over the Kannapolis Intimidators on Thursday.
The Drive got all the runs they would need in the top of the third inning against Kannapolis starter James Dykstra (0-1). Jesus Loya drew a leadoff walk, advanced to third on a single to right by Carlos Asuaje, and came in to score on a throwing error by Kannapolis catcher Omar Narvaez. Later in the inning, Tim Roberson lined a single to right field to score Asuaje and stretch the lead to 2-0.
Staked to that lead, the three Drive hurlers took care of the rest. Cody Kukuk (1-0) earned the victory with five innings of one-run ball, giving up three hits and walking four with four strikeouts. Jacob Dahlstrand followed with three perfect innings of relief, and Joe Gunkel closed out the game with a scoreless ninth to earn the save.
The Intimidators scored their run against Kukuk in the bottom of the third. Adam Engel drew a two-out walk and promptly stole second. Cleuluis Rondon, a former Red Sox farmhand who was traded to the White Sox last July, then smacked a double to the center field wall to cut the Drive lead to 2-1.
Roberson helped the Drive tack on an insurance run in the seventh as his RBI single scored Loya, who singled to lead off the frame. Roberson went 2-4 with a pair of RBI on the night, and Tzu-Wei Lin added three hits and two stolen bases.
The same two teams will meet again on Friday night in Kannapolis. First pitch is set for 7:05. RHP Jamie Callahan will take the mound for Greenville, while RHP Tyler Danish is scheduled to start for the Intimidators.
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