Drive end regular season with win over Tourists, 5-1
September 7, 2009 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Greenville Drive News Release
Greenville, SC - Momentum will be on the Drive's side headed into the playoffs. On the final day of the 2009 regular season, Greenville (73-65, 34-36) continued to do what they had done the previous two games, by easily defeating the Asheville Tourists (68-70, 42-27), 5-1.
During each of the Drive's final three wins, the starting pitching was dominant against the league's best lineup, top to bottom. In Monday's matinee, it was Caleb Clay's turn to end on a high note.
The right-hander allowed only one run, coming on a Delta Cleary sacrifice fly in the top of the third, over his 5.0 inning outing. A supplemental round selection in 2006, Clay limited Asheville to two hits and three walks, while fanning four.
Although the Drive fell behind 1-0, they answered loudly in the bottom of the fifth. Greenville sent eight batters to the plate, totaling three runs and three hits, while also taking advantage of a pair of Asheville errors.
With Ty Weeden aboard following a leadoff walk, Thomas DiBenedetto laced a double into the rightfield corner. The Tourists David Christensen bobbled the ball, allowing Weeden to tie the game and DiBenedetto to third. Zach Gentile's RBI-triple put the Drive on top, and another Asheville error on Shannon Wilkerson's grounder allowed the third run to score.
An inning later, Mike Thomas hit a towering solo homer to leadoff the sixth, his second homer in as many days. Weeden accounted for the Drive's final run with an RBI-single in bottom of the eighth.
The Drive will also be heading into the playoffs with their bullpen having strung together solid performances. A pair of right-handers, Charle Rosario and Felix Ventura, complemented Clay's day by holding the Tourists scoreless over the final 4.0 innings. Ventura picked up his eighth save of the season.
South Atlantic League Stories from September 7, 2009
- Charleston clips Savannah in season finale, 7-6 - Charleston RiverDogs
- BlueClaws end regular season with win - Jersey Shore BlueClaws
- Drive end regular season with win over Tourists, 5-1 - Greenville Drive
- Crawdads clipped by Intimidators, 4-1, in season finale - Hickory Crawdads
- Suns Lose Season Finale to Captains - Hagerstown Suns
- Mazzola Sends 2009 Jackets Off In Style - Augusta GreenJackets
- Tourists Fall in Final Regular Season Game - Asheville Tourists
- Power Smash Grasshoppers in Season Finale - Charleston Dirty Birds
- Legends win season's final game, sweep series - Lexington Legends
- Jarman Strong in Hot Rods Season Finale - Bowling Green Hot Rods
- Kannapolis finishes regular season with 4-1 win over Hickory - Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
- Frias, Suns Fall Short In Pitcher's Duel - Hagerstown Suns
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