SAL1 Greenville Drive

Drive Fall in Series Opener to Sand Gnats, 9-4

Published on June 13, 2013 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Greenville Drive News Release


The final series of the first half in Savannah brings together two teams in different scenarios. The Greenville Drive (22-44) are hoping to build some positive momentum going into the second half, while the Savannah Sand Gnats (40-26) are competing to clinch the first-half division title and a playoff spot. The Sand Gnats got one step closer to their goal on Thursday, as they rapped out 13 hits in a 9-4 victory over the Drive.

The Sand Gnats struck first against Drive starter Luis Diaz (1-3), as Eudy Pina led off the bottom of the first with a double, advanced to third on a groundout and scored on a sacrifice fly by Maikis De la Cruz.

Jayce Boyd delivered a big blow in the third inning, as he smacked a Diaz offering for a three-run homer to left field that pushed the lead to 4-0. The score went to 5-0 in the fifth when De la Cruz hit a two-out single that scored Pina.

The Drive cut into the lead in top of the sixth with three runs against Savannah reliever Marcos Camarena. Back-to-back singles by Jayson Hernandez and Dreily Guerrero began the frame, and two batters later, Kevin Heller hit a two-run triple to get the Drive on the scoreboard. Camarena quickly uncorked a wild pitch to plate Heller for the third run.

With Greg Larson on the mound for the Drive in the bottom of the seventh, the Sand Gnats got a run back, as Boyd tripled and later scored on Cole Frenzel's RBI single.

David Chester's eighth-inning sacrifice fly plated the Drive's fourth run of the game.

Savannah plated three runs for good measure in the eighth. A throwing error on an attempted stolen base brought home the first runner, while Brandon Nimmo's RBI triple and De la Cruz's RBI single scored the final runs of the evening.

Jake Kuebler (2-2) fired five scoreless innings to earn the win for the Sand Gnats. He allowed five hits and did not walk a batter while striking out two. Beck Wheeler threw the final two innings and picked up his sixth save of the season.

Boyd had a huge night at the plate for Savannah, going 4-4 with a homer and three RBIs. De la Cruz added two hits and three RBIs of his own. Pina had two hits and scored four times, while Phillip Evans and Frenzel also had two hits apiece. Heller was the only Greenville hitter with a multi-hit game.

The same two teams will meet for game two of the four-game series on Friday night in Savannah, with first pitch set for 7:05. RHP Jacob Dahlstrand (1-2, 5.59) will take the ball for the Drive, while the Sand Gnats will counter with LHP Steven Matz (2-3, 3.22).

Check out the Greenville Drive Statistics

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South Atlantic League Stories from June 13, 2013


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