
Drive Drop Fifth-Straight to Aberdeen, Lose 7-3
September 9, 2023 - South Atlantic League (SAL)
Greenville Drive News Release
The Greenville Drive (27-38, 63-68) dropped their fifth-straight game to the Aberdeen IronBirds (33-31, 65-63), this time going down 7-3 as Aberdeen scored five unanswered runs to break a 2-2 tie in the fourth.
It wouldn't be a sudden offensive outburst that doomed the Drive, but a slow buildup of runs that ultimately gave Aberdeen their fifth win of the series. Drive starter Luis Perales tossed five innings for the Drive, allowing six hits and four runs, two via home runs, while walking two and striking out three.
Samuel Basallo continued his torment of the Drive in the early going Saturday night, sending a two-out blast over the right field wall, his eighth of the year and third of the series, to give Aberdeen the 1-0 lead. Ryan Higgins boosted the lead to 2-0 in the second, bringing home Frederick Bencosme from third on a sac-fly.
Bryan Gonzalez knocked his 11th homer of the year in the fourth, a two-run shot over the left field wall to knot the game at 2-2. But Aberdeen regained the lead just three pitches into their half of the fourth, as Bencosme smacked his second homer of the year to make it 3-2.
Aberdeen stretched the lead to 4-2 in the fifth as a throwing error by catcher Ronald Rosario on a throw down to third to nab the stealing runner allowed Mac Horvath to score. The Drive cut the lead back to one in the sixth as Rosario made up for the error with an RBI-single to score Gonzalez and make it 4-3.
But again, the IronBirds found a way to swipe the momentum back. Ryan Higgins smacked an RBI-triple off reliever Nate Tellier to score Bencosme, but the throw to get Higgins at third was errant from Eddinson Paulino, allowing Higgins to score and make it 6-3. Tellier pitched the sixth allowing just two hits while ringing up one.
Reidis Sena kept the IronBirds hitless and scoreless in his outing in the seventh, picking up a strikeout before giving way to reliever Brock Bell. Bell tossed the eighth, allowing one run on one hit, with the run coming on a Higgins RBI-infield-single to round out the scoring at 7-3.
The Greenville Drive (Boston Red Sox) return to action Sunday, September 10th for the finale of the six-game series with the Aberdeen IronBirds (Baltimore Orioles). The IronBirds clinched the series and currently lead it 5-0. Sunday's game also marks the end of the regular season for the Drive with the SAL Playoffs beginning Tuesday, September 12 for a three-game series with the Hickory Crawdads (Texas Rangers). The Drive return to Fluor Field on September 14th for game two of the three-game divisional series.
South Atlantic League Stories from September 9, 2023
- Williams and Isaac Homer Twice, Hot Rods Cruise to 11-4 Win - Bowling Green Hot Rods
- Renegades and BlueClaws Each Take One in Doubleheader - Hudson Valley Renegades
- Brooklyn Trims Magic Number to 1 as Cyclones Defeat Blue Rocks, 7-1 - Brooklyn Cyclones
- Drive Drop Fifth-Straight to Aberdeen, Lose 7-3 - Greenville Drive
- Tourists Topple Braves on Saturday Night - Rome Emperors
- Sacco Drives in Four, Tourists Take Second Straight - Asheville Tourists
- Weather Cancels Saturday's Game - Hickory Crawdads
- Crawdads Playoffs Start Tuesday - Hickory Crawdads
- Last Night to Bid on Strikeout Cancer Jerseys - Hickory Crawdads
- Grasshoppers Defeat the Hot Rods, 11-2 on Friday Evening - Greensboro Grasshoppers
- HVR Game Notes - September 9, 2023 - Hudson Valley Renegades
- Crawdads Clinch Playoff Spot with 6-2 Win - Hickory Crawdads
- Hot Rods Fall 11-2, Eliminated from Playoff Contention - Bowling Green Hot Rods
- Braves Lose Thriller in the 11th - Rome Emperors
- Williams Comes to the Rescue in Extra-Inning Win - Asheville Tourists
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Other Recent Greenville Drive Stories
- Drive Blitzed by Dash in Thursday Night 8-2 Loss
- Drive Split Doubleheader, Remain at .500 on the Season
- National & World Series Champion JBJ Returns to GVL
- Drive Cap Series Win with 4-3 Arias Walk-Off
- Drive Look to Win the Series on Sunday Following 4-1 Loss Saturday Night

