SAL Greenville Drive

Drive Give Up Lead In Extras, Fall 5-4 In 11 Innings

Published on August 18, 2023 under South Atlantic League (SAL)
Greenville Drive News Release


The Winston-Salem Dash (18-26, 52-55) outlasted the Greenville Drive (20-26, 56-56), 5-4 in extra innings Friday night, taking the game down to the wire and delivering a walk-off bloop single off the bat of Bruce Willits. The Drive had their chance to earn victory, scoring three runs in the top of the 10th to take a 4-1, but shaky pitching allowed the Dash to knot the game in 10th before finishing the comeback in the 11th.

Pitcher Zach Penrod, recently signed to a Minor League contract by the Boston Red Sox, made his Drive debut working five scoreless innings, surrendering five hits while walking three and striking out two. As of just a few days prior, Penrod was rostered with the Missoula PaddleHeads of the independent Pioneer League after a brief stint in the Texas Rangers farm system.

On the flip side for the Drive, Allan Castro went 3-for-5 at the plate, including a home run and two RBI while Max Ferguson was 2-for-4 with a triple and an RBI.

The game remained scoreless until the sixth as Castro launched his third homer of the year deep into the right field seats to give the Drive a 1-0 lead. Reidis Sena took over for Penrod in the sixth, eventually giving up one run - a Bruce Willits RBI-single - and three hits while ringing up three.

The 1-1 tie carried through the ninth and sent the game to extras. Three runs in the top of the tenth, thanks to an RBI-double from Eduardo Lopez, an RBI-triple from Ferguson, and an RBI-single from Castro, put the Drive in front, 4-1 but the three runs would be erased by the Dash off reliever Brock Bell in their half of the inning, sending it to 11th with the teams deadlocked at 4-4.

The Drive moved the ghost runner to third but couldn't capitalize as back-to-back strikeouts ended the Drive threat. Winston-Salem would capitalize, however, as a passed ball moved the ghost runner to third and two plays later, Willits' bloop single to shallow left field allowed the winning run to score, giving the Dash the 5-4 victory.

The Greenville Drive (Boston Red Sox) return to action on Saturday, August 19 at 7:00 p.m. against the Winston-Salem Dash (Chicago White Sox). The Dash clinched a series victory with their win tonight and currently lead the series, 4-0.

Check out the Greenville Drive Statistics

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South Atlantic League Stories from August 18, 2023


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