SAL Greenville Drive

Drive Give up Late Lead, Fall 5-4 in Finale in Brooklyn

Published on June 11, 2023 under South Atlantic League (SAL)
Greenville Drive News Release


After clinching the series with a sweep in yesterday's doubleheader in Brooklyn, the tides turned against the Greenville Drive (32-25) at Maimonides Park as they squandered a late 4-1 lead to fall to the Brooklyn Cyclones (24-32), 5-4.

Both starters, the Drive's Angel Bastardo and the Cyclone's Blade Tidwell commanded the mound early for their respective teams. The Cyclones broke through first in the bottom of the third, when a line drive RBI-single would bring in the first run of the game for the Cyclones, making it 1-0.

Bust as with previous games in the series the Drive seemed to be galvanized by the deficit. Ronald Rosario drew a walk which was followed by a double to center by Miguel Ugueto to bring in Rosario, and a single to center field by Karson Simas would bring home Ugueto for the Drive's first lead of the game, making it 2-1.

Angel Bastardo settled into the game from there, working through the Cyclones batting order, ultimately tossing six innings. He'd finish the day allowing one run on four hits, issue two walks and collect seven strikeouts.

Angel Bastardo pitched a stellar six innings for the Drive allowing only four hits and one run while collecting seven strikeouts before Nathan Landry relieved him in the bottom of the seventh.

Ugueto sparked the Drive in the top of the sixth before a Max Ferguson line drive single to center field later in the inning brought him home. Karson Simas and Fergsuon would each move up 90 feet on a wild pitch before an Eduardo Lopez sacrifice fly to center was enough to bring Simas home to boost the Drive lead to, 4-1.

But the Cyclones didn't go quietly and found some late game heroics of their own to flip the script on the Drive. Nathan Landry took over for Bastardo in the seventh, and while he'd keep the Drive ahead, the Cyclones Cesar Berbesi rocketed a two-run homer to right field, igniting the crowd and the Cyclones.

Alex Hoppe, the hard throwing righty, came on in the eighth to try and keep the lead but he'd too find himself the victim of a two-run homer as William Lugo sent one over the right field giving the Cyclones a 5-4 lead, stunning the Drive.

The Drive would go down 1-2-3 in the top of the ninth, as the Cyclones closed out the finale of the series, 5-4.

Despite the loss in the finale, the Drive took the series against Brooklyn, 4-2 their fourth series victory in a row. The Drive (Boston Red Sox) return to action Tuesday, June 13 at Fluor Field for a six-game series against the Greensboro Grasshoppers (Pittsburgh Pirates.)

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South Atlantic League Stories from June 11, 2023


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