Drive Rally, Hold On for 7-5 Thriller
Published on June 15, 2008 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Greenville Drive News Release
Greenville, SC - Just when it appeared the Drive (40-30) would enter the All-Star break on the heels of being swept by the Augusta GreenJackets (41-28), David Mailman and Ty Weeden keyed a five-run eighth inning for a 7-5 victory to closeout the first half.
With two outs in the bottom of the eighth, the Drive began a scoring barrage against Augusta reliever Andrew DeLaGarza (5-1). Trailing 3-2, David Mailman laced a bases loaded double, scoring Kristopher Negron and Mike Jones to give Greenville their first lead of the ballgame. Ty Weeden then followed with a three-run blast, which proved to be the eventual game-winner.
Both offenses began the game quickly, trading a pair of runs in the first inning. The GreenJackets tallied just one hit off Terumasa Matsuo but were aided by a Negron fielding error. But the Drive answered in the home half as Ryan Kalish and Jones hit back-to-back RBI-doubles off Daryl Maday.
From their, both starters calmed down and were locked in a pitchers duel. Maday scattered four more hits while holding the Drive scoreless in the final six innings of his outing. Matsuo was almost as good, giving up two Augusta hits and one unearned run in six more innings.
Brock Bond began the fourth with a leadoff double against the Japanese product, and advanced to third on a Mailman error. Angel Villalona's sacrifice fly gave the GreenJackets a lead that their bullpen eventually blew.
Augusta put a scare into the Drive in their final at-bat, scoring two runs on Villalona's two-run homer off Javier Garcia. Newcomer Kyle Foster (1-0), who was just signed by the Red Sox organization from the St. Paul Saints (Independent) yesterday, earned the win after holding Augusta scoreless in the eighth inning. He did walk Bond to begin the ninth before giving way to Garcia.
The Drive and GreenJackets conclude their three-game series and end the first half of the 2008 regular season tomorrow with first pitch set for 4:05 PM at Fluor Field. Greenville will send right-hander Terumasa Matsuo to the hill as Augusta counters with right-hander Daryl Maday.
After three days off for the South Atlantic League All-Star Game, the Drive begin the second half at home on Thursday with a five-game series versus the Hickory Crawdads. The Drive will be well represented in the 49th Annual SAL All-Star Game, sending four players - Mike Jones, Yamaico Navarro, Luis Exposito, and Felix Doubront - as well as manager Kevin Boles.
Plenty will be happening at Fluor Field during the Drive's next home stand, with $1 Drink Night (Thursday), Friday Night Fireworks, Mill League Night (Saturday), and Bark in the Ballpark (Sunday). For more information on single-game tickets, ticket plans, group outings, and luxury accommodations, visit www.GreenvilleDrive.com or call (864) 240-4500.
NOTES: Attendance was 4552...The Drive's attendance for the first half of the season is 169,363 which is almost 4,000 more fans than that of the first half of the 2007 season.
South Atlantic League Stories from June 15, 2008
- Hoppers Drop First-Half Finale - Greensboro Grasshoppers
- RiverDogs Weather Sand Gnats, 8-2, But Fall Short Of First-Half Playoff Berth - Charleston RiverDogs
- POWER FINISH FIRST HALF WITH WIN - Charleston Dirty Birds
- Crawdads Lose 8-6 As Tourists Clinch Division - Hickory Crawdads
- Drive Rally, Hold On for 7-5 Thriller - Greenville Drive
- Intimidators Close Out First Half With 5-3 Win Over Legends - Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
- GreenJackets Fall in Final Game of First Half - Augusta GreenJackets
- BlueClaws close first half with 13-8 win - Jersey Shore BlueClaws
- 'Birds Drop 1st Half Finale, 'Claws Take Slugfest, 13-8 - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Suns Close First Half With Win Over Captains - Hagerstown Suns
- RiverDogs Hurler Lance Pendleton Added to SAL All-Star Game - Charleston RiverDogs
- Captains Win Northern Division Crown - Lake County Captains
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