Drive Run Past Braves, 10-4

Published on August 29, 2015 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Greenville Drive News Release

Rome, GA - With the South Atlantic League playoffs nearing, the Greenville Drive have picked a great time to get hot, and the offense jumped out to a big start and didn't look back in a 10-4 win over the Rome Braves on Saturday night.

Despite being outhit 14-13, the Drive (30-31, 68-63) made their opportunities count, and it started early with a four-run first against Braves (23-38, 54-77) starter Chad Sobotka (1-5). Following an error and a walk with one out, Andrew Benintendi cracked a three-run homer to right, his third homer since joining the Drive. Later in the frame, a Bryan Hudson RBI single made the score 4-0.

RBI singles by Stephen Gaylor and Ryan Gebhardt in the second allowed Rome to cut the lead in half, but the Drive roared right back in the third with three more runs thanks to an RBI double by David Sopilka and a two-run triple by Yoan Moncada.

Luis Ramos (3-3) took home the win for the Drive. He struck out five over five innings while allowing three runs on nine hits.

Greenville scored three more times in the sixth to add on to their lead. Benintendi began the inning with a single, and he later came in on a single from Carlos Mesa. Javier Guerra followed Mesa's hit with an RBI triple, and he scored when Hudson singled up the middle.

Hudson reached base in all five plate appearances on the night, going 3-3 with a pair of walks. Benintendi added two hits and three RBI, while Sopilka had two hits as well. Joseph Daris and Matt Tellor led Rome with three hits apiece.

The Drive maintained their half-game lead for the Southern Division wild card spot following victories by both Savannah and Asheville on Saturday night.

Game two of the five-game series begins on Sunday at 2:00 PM. RH Ben Taylor (0-1, 3.86) takes the mound for the Drive, and RH Sean Furney (6-7, 2.82) takes the ball for the Braves.

South Atlantic League Stories from August 29, 2015

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• Trexler strikes out career-high nine over 4.0 relief IP - Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
• Sand Gnats Shut Out 'Jackets 2-0 Saturday - Savannah Sand Gnats
• Tourists Find Their Stride on the Road - Asheville Tourists
• Drive Run Past Braves, 10-4 - Greenville Drive
• RiverDogs Bested by Tourists 5-2 in Series Opener - Charleston RiverDogs
• Two Runs Enough for Viza; Claws Win 2-1 - Jersey Shore BlueClaws
• Early Inning Troubles Hurt Braves - Rome Emperors
• WV Power Game Notes - Charleston Dirty Birds
• Gonzalez joins Kannapolis from AZL Sox - Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
• Shorebirds Trip up in Finale, 7-3 Loss - Delmarva Shorebirds
• Late Heroics Power Crawdads to 5-4 Win - Hickory Crawdads

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