Drive Rout 'Hoppers 13-5 Behind Hot Bats
Published on April 24, 2023 under South Atlantic League (SAL)
Greenville Drive News Release
The Greenville Drive (5-8) responded to the previous night's 2-1 loss with a rout, topping the Greensboro Grasshoppers 13-5 as Blaze Jordan led the way, busting out of his slow start to the season, going 4-for-5 at the dish with his first home run of the year while chipping in four RBIs.
Down 1-0 early due to two errors in the first, the Drive broke out in the second inning. With one out, Jordan sent a 1-1 pitch into the left field seats to knot the game up. With two outs, Tyler Miller continued his hot start, smacking a single to left field, which Eduardo Lopez followed up with a single of his own putting two on. Miller would steal third and Nick Decker would be hit by a pitch loading the bases for Max Ferguson.
Ferguson took the first pitch he saw for a double clearing the bases to make 4-1 in favor of the Drive. Chase Meidroth, back in the lineup, knocked a single to left that scored Ferguson making it 5-1 Drive.
Drive starter Juan Daniel Encarnacion cruised through the first three innings as well, giving up no hits, while consistently getting ground ball outs and striking out one. He'd give up his first hit in the fourth inning, a double to Hudson Head. Head would come around to score on an ensuing single by Maikol Escotto, making it 5-2.
Ferguson would lead off the fifth with a double, and Meidroth walked, setting up Marcelo Mayer to send liner to right for a double, plating both Ferguson and Meidroth to increase the Drive lead to 7-2. Mayer reached third on the play as well, thanks to a throwing error. Jordan joined the hit parade in the fifth,after a Nathan Hickey single, knocking in Mayer with a single of his own to make 8-2. Two batters later, Miler doubled to right scoring Jordan to make 9-2.
Encarnacion was relieved by Jordan DiValerio in the fifth after loading the bases, finishing out his night giving up four runs on three hits, with three strikeouts and four walks in his four innings of work.
DiValerio would get a double-play that relinisquished only one run and throw a wild pitch, as the Grasshoppers cut the lead to 9-4.
But in the sixth, the Drive chipped in two more runs as a Hickey double score Meidroth from first, and a Jordan double scored him, making it 11-4.
Maceo Campbell came on in relief of DiValerio in the seventh. DiValerio finished his night with a walk and a strikeout in his two innings of work. Campbell would allow only one hit in the seventh, a home run to Ernny Ordonez which cut the lead to 11-5.
A two-out walk by Mayer in the eighth ste up Hickey, who doubled again to score Mayer to make it 12-5. Jordan added his final RBI of the night on the ensuing at-bat hitting a soft fly to right which plated Hickey to make it 13-5. Campbell came back out for the eighth, shutting the door on the 'Hoppers and finishing his night allowing one run on two hits with two walks and four strikeouts.
Christopher Troye took the mound in the ninth for the Drive, giving up two-straight walks and a wild pitch putting runners on second and third with one out. He'd recover and end the game striking out two of the final three batters to give Greenville the 13-5 victory.
The Drive (Boston Red Sox) and Grasshoppers (Pittsburgh Pirates) are back in action at First National Bank Field on Sunday at 2:00 p.m. A win on Sunday will earn Grenville a split of the series. The Drive return to Fluor Field on April 25 to face the Hudson Valley Renegades (New York Yankees).
South Atlantic League Stories from April 24, 2023
- Ferguson Homers; Drive Fall 4-1 to 'Hoppers - Greenville Drive
- This Week at Fluor Field Drive vs. Renegades - Greenville Drive
- Drive Rout 'Hoppers 13-5 Behind Hot Bats - Greenville Drive
- Juan Carela Named SAL Pitcher of the Week - Hudson Valley Renegades
- Jackson Holliday Promoted to Aberdeen IronBirds - Aberdeen IronBirds
- Hoppers Defeat the Drive 4-1, for Home Opener Series Win - Greensboro Grasshoppers
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