Drive Split Doubleheader, Remain at .500 on the Season
SAL Greenville Drive

Drive Split Doubleheader, Remain at .500 on the Season

Published on July 29, 2025 under South Atlantic League (SAL)
Greenville Drive News Release


WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - The Greenville Drive rebounded from a sloppy Game 1 loss to take the nightcap of a doubleheader against the Winston-Salem Dash, earning a 5-2 victory in Game 2 after falling 8-4 in the resumption of a suspended game from July 13. With the split, the Drive evened their record at 48-48 on the season, while the Dash fell to 37-58.

Game 1: Dash 8, Drive 4 (9 innings)

Greenville couldn't overcome a slew of miscues and timely Winston-Salem hitting in the resumed contest from mid-July, falling 8-4 in a full nine-inning affair that resumed Tuesday afternoon at Truist Stadium after being suspended in Greenville earlier this month.

The Dash capitalized on two Drive errors, seven walks, and a big swing from Alec Makarewicz, who belted a two-run homer in the first inning off Blake Aita to give Winston-Salem an early 2-0 lead. Makarewicz finished 3-for-5 with three RBIs and a run scored.

Greenville countered with a two-run shot from Johanfran Garcia in the third inning and a solo homer by Freili Encarnacion in the ninth, but was otherwise kept quiet by Dash starter Frankeli Arias (2-5), who tossed six strong innings, allowing three runs on seven hits.

The turning point came in the middle innings, when wild pitches and walks by Drive reliever Noah Dean (1-5) helped fuel a four-run surge by Winston-Salem in the fourth and fifth. Dean issued four walks and was tagged for four runs (three earned) in four innings of work.

The Dash added insurance runs in the eighth and ninth, including an RBI single by Makarewicz and a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch drawn by Lyle Miller-Green.

Offensively, Greenville out-hit the Dash 8-5 but left key runners stranded. The Drive were just 2-for-7 with runners in scoring position and were victimized by stellar Dash defense, including a pair of outfield assists that erased would-be extra bases.

Garcia's two-run homer, Rodriguez's RBI single, and Encarnacion's late blast highlighted a frustrating game for a Drive team that could not sustain momentum.

Game 2: Drive 5, Dash 2 (7 innings)

The Drive bounced back in the seven-inning nightcap behind strong pitching, timely hitting, and the power of Yophery Rodriguez, who launched a go-ahead two-run homer in the fourth inning en route to a 5-2 win.

Rodriguez's fifth homer of the season broke a scoreless tie and sparked a three-run frame. Antonio Anderson and Freili Encarnacion followed with singles before a sacrifice fly from Hudson White extended the lead to 3-0.

Starter Austin Ehrlicher delivered four solid innings, scattering four hits and allowing just one run while striking out five. After Jeral Perez doubled and scored on a single from Alec Makarewicz in the bottom of the fourth, the Dash added a second run in the fifth off reliever Adam Smith (4-2), who ultimately earned the win.

Greenville tacked on insurance in the sixth and seventh. Hudson White plated Will Turner with an RBI single, and Justin Riemer delivered a clutch two-out RBI knock in the seventh to make it 5-2. Riemer, who finished 2-for-4 with an RBI, also anchored a key double play in the fifth that helped limit a Dash rally.

Jonathan Brand notched his second save of the season with a clean seventh inning, retiring the side in order on three groundouts to seal the victory.

The Drive out-hit the Dash 9-6 and were 3-for-7 with runners in scoring position, showing a more disciplined approach at the plate. They also played error-free defense in the win, a stark contrast to the early game.

Greenville and Winston-Salem continue their series on Wednesday night at Truist Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. as the Drive look to build on their Game 2 momentum and push above the .500 mark and now sit only 2.5 games out of first place in the second half.

Check out the Greenville Drive Statistics

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South Atlantic League Stories from July 29, 2025


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