Drive Split Doubleheader
July 22, 2023 - South Atlantic League (SAL)
Greenville Drive News Release
The Greenville Drive (11-11, 47-41) split the twin bill with the Asheville Tourists (8-14, 34-49) Friday, dropping game one 11-3, but the nightcap would be a thriller for Drive fans as Drive starter Angel Bastardo tossed a seven-inning complete game shutout to dominate the Tourists, 6-0.
It added to Bastardo's recent domination on the mound as technically, the rain shortened game against Hickory on July 15 was a complete game shutout for Bastardo as well. He recorded six innings, two hits, and nine strikeouts in that one bringing his line for his past two starts to a stellar: 13 innings, five hits, zero runs, and 23 strikeouts.
Bastardo's complete game shutout marks the seventh complete game shutout in Drive history, with all but one coming in a seven-inning or rain shortened game. The last complete game shutout recorded for the Drive came on May 25, 2019, as Thaddeus Ward tossed a seven-inning complete game shutout against Augusta. Denyi Reyes owns the only non-seven-inning or non-weather shortened complete game shutout as he went nine innings in his May 27, 2018, outing against the Columbia.
Game 1: Tourists score 11-unanswered runs to top Drive 11-3
In the makeup game of the twin-bill on Friday, the Greenville Drive (10-11, 46-41) squandered a 3-0 lead, as the Asheville Tourists (8-13, 34-48) pounded Drive relievers for 10 runs.
Luis Perales made his High-A, Drive, and Fluor Field debut Friday evening working a strong first inning that included him stranding two runners while picking up two strikeouts - the final one needing just three pitches.
The Drive followed up Perales' hot start with a strong start of their own from the batter's box as Roman Anthony walked, and Allan Castro singled to lead off the inning. With two outs in the inning, Ronald Rosario swatted a breaking ball over the left field wall giving the Drive the early 3-0 lead.
Perales would give up his only run of the night on a Zach Cole homer, but he'd cruise the rest of the way ultimately finishing the night throwing five innings, allowing five hits, one run and ringing up five.
As Perales exited, the Drive clung to the 3-0 lead, but it wouldn't last for long. Nate Tellier would give up back-to-back home runs on just five pitches, allowing the Tourists to knot the game at 3-3.
As the game flipped to the seventh, the Tourists would scratch across eight runs including six off relieve Joey Stock and two off reliever Graham Hoffman. After Stock exited without picking up an out and walking home a run, Hoffman would also walk home a run and then proceed to give up a grand slam, putting the Tourists up 11-3. The Drive would fail to mount a comeback in the bottom of the seventh.
Game 2: Bastardo tosses complete game shutout as Drive win 6-0
Angel Bastaro recorded the seventh complete game shutout in Greenville Drive (11-11, 47-41) history on Friday as the Drive beat Asheville (8-14, 34-49) 6-0 in the nightcap of the twin bill.
Bastardo's dominating performance included a whopping 14 strikeouts, while he allowed just three hits and no walks. The Drive batters would add the support needed for victory as they scratched across five runs in the first three innings.
The Drive started the game with a two-out rally, as Brainer Bonaci doubled, Bryan Gonzalez reached on a throwing error, and Tyler Miller singled to give the Drive the early 2-0 lead. They'd pile on two in the second as Allan Castro slashed a double into the left field gap to bring home Nick Decker and Karson Simas boosting the lead to 4-0.
Ronald Rosario would add a fifth run for the Drive in the third inning as dropped in a sacrifice fly and then he'd add the sixth and final run in the fifth with an RBI-single.
Bastardo cruised throughout though his most dominating innings would come in the sixth as he struck out the side. He'd close out the game in the seventh, punctuating the night with back-to-back strikeouts to give the Drive the 6-0 victory.
South Atlantic League Stories from July 22, 2023
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- Hogs' Bats Fall Quiet in 3-0 Loss to Jersey Shore - Winston-Salem Dash
- Tourists Win Back-and-Forth Battle, Drive Fall 5-3 - Greenville Drive
- Staff Strikes Out 13 For Sixth Win In Last Eight Games - Asheville Tourists
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- Blue Rocks Best Grasshoppers in Saturday Night Pitcher's Duel - Wilmington Blue Rocks
- Brooklyn Baffled by Thorpe in 3-0 Defeat to Hudson Valley - Brooklyn Cyclones
- Renegades Earn 3-0 Victory Cyclones - Hudson Valley Renegades
- Drive Split Doubleheader - Greenville Drive
- Greensboro Defeats the Blue Rocks, 7-3 - Greensboro Grasshoppers
- HVR Game Notes - July 22, 2023 - Hudson Valley Renegades
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