Garcia Grills Burgers with Walk-Off Blast
SAL Greenville Drive

Garcia Grills Burgers with Walk-Off Blast

July 22, 2025 - South Atlantic League (SAL)
Greenville Drive News Release


GREENVILLE, S.C. - On a warm Tuesday night in Downtown Greenville, Johanfran Garcia delivered a moment Drive fans won't soon forget - a two-run walk-off homer in the bottom of the ninth to lift the Greenville Drive (44-45) to a dramatic 4-3 win over the Hub City Spartanburgers (46-44) in the series opener at Fluor Field.

Trailing for nearly the entire game, the Drive showed late-game resilience with single runs in the fourth and eighth to chip away at an early 3-0 deficit before Garcia's no-doubt blast to left field in the ninth sent the home crowd of 3,818 into a frenzy.

The Spartanburgers jumped out quickly in the first, capitalizing on a two-out walk to Gleider Figuereo. Arturo Disla made the Drive pay with a two-run shot to left-center off starter Noah Dean, giving the visitors a 2-0 lead before many fans had settled into their seats.

An erratic third inning allowed the Spartanburgers to extend their lead without recording a hit. Dean issued three walks in the frame, and a wild pitch allowed Disla - who reached on a fielder's choice - to cross the plate for a 3-0 advantage.

Dean's night ended after three innings, but the Drive bullpen was lights-out from that point on. Drive newcomer Austin Ehrlicher was particularly dominant, tossing 3.1 hitless innings and striking out four while navigating three walks and a wild pitch. He was aided by a slick pickoff move that nabbed Anthony Gutierrez at first, ending a potential rally in the fourth.

Adam Smith and Jonathan Brand each added a scoreless frame, with Brand (2-0) earning the win despite issuing a walk in the ninth.

The Drive's offense, stifled through the first three innings by Spartanburgers lefty Mason Molina, broke through in the fourth. Franklin Arias led off with a ground-rule double and came home on a sacrifice fly by Nelly Taylor to cut the deficit to 3-1.

Greenville threatened again in the sixth, loading up the bases after a pinch-hit single from Antonio Anderson and walks to Bleis and Taylor. But reliever Mailon Felix escaped unscathed, inducing a flyout from Garcia to end the frame.

In the eighth, Justin Riemer worked a leadoff walk and promptly stole second. Arias followed with a clutch RBI single to right-center, plating Riemer to pull the Drive within a run. However, Arias was thrown out trying to stretch the hit into a double, ending the inning and delaying the Drive's comeback hopes for one more frame.

After holding the Spartanburgers scoreless in the top of the ninth, the Drive wasted no time in the bottom half. Taylor led off with a sharply hit double to center off new reliever Joey Danielson. On the very next pitch, Garcia crushed the 0-0 offering over the Green Monster, his second homer of the season, to complete the comeback in walk-off fashion.

It was Garcia's second and third RBIs of the night and just his second homer of the season, coming in the most clutch of moments.

Despite being outhit just 6-2, the Spartanburgers managed to score early and often via timely power and patience - but it wasn't enough to hold off the Drive's late surge.

The Drive and Spartanburgers will continue their six-game series Wednesday night at Fluor Field. First pitch is scheduled for 6:45 PM, as Greenville looks to build on tonight's walk-off win and build momentum going into the rest of this critical series in the second half South Atlantic League race.

Check out the Greenville Drive Statistics



South Atlantic League Stories from July 22, 2025


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