Gonzalez's blast seals Drive's final win of 2024, 5-4 over Dash

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SAL Greenville Drive

Gonzalez's blast seals Drive's final win of 2024, 5-4 over Dash

September 8, 2024 - South Atlantic League (SAL)
Greenville Drive News Release


Bryan Gonzalez's bottom of the eighth inning blast over the left centerfield wall capped off a come from behind victory for the Greenville Drive (37-29, 63-69) 5-4 over the Winston-Salem Dash (29-37, 60-72).

The win capped three consecutive victories for the Drive, earning a split of the final series of the season after they dropped the first three games to the Dash, sending the Drive out on a high note.

The homer marked Gonzalez's 20th homer of the year, boosting his Drive career homer total to 31.

The day however favored the Dash in the early going.

After punching out the first batter of the ballgame, Jedixson Paez relinquished a double and a two-run homer consecutively, the latter to Caden Connor to put the Dash up 2-0 early.

The Drive responded quickly, however, greeting starter Shane Murphy with a two-run first inning of their own. Justin Riemer doubled, Will Turner moved him to third and Miguel Bleis drove him in with a single to left field.

Gonzalez singled, putting runners on the corners. After a Nelly Taylor 11-pitch at-bat that resulted in a strikeout, Hudson White knocked a hard grounder to short that Jordan Sprinkle mishandled, allowing Bleis to tie the game at 2-2.

Paez held steady until his fifth and final inning, giving up a Miguel Santos homer on the first pitch of the at-bat. Eh allowed a single in the inning as well before picking up two outs, though Sprinkle stole second. Casey Saucke delivered an RBI-single to center field, boosting the Dash lead to 4-2.

Paez finished the night allowing four runs on eight hits with six strikeouts and no free passes.

Justin Riemer singled to lead off the sixth making it to third on a Gonzlaez two-out single. The throw into the infield allowed Gonzalez to take second and Nelly Taylor lifted a triple to left field gap, clearing the bases and knotting the game at 4-4 before Gonzalez's homer put the Drive in front for good.

Noah Dean, piggybacking for Jedixson Paez, spun 2 2/3 innings for the Drive, allowing two hits and three walks with three strikeouts before handing the ball over to Zach Fogell. Fogell shutdown the final frame, picking up a 1-2-3 ninth inning to preserve the Drive's final win of the 2024 season.

The Drive return to action on April 4, 2025 for Opening Day to take on the Bowling Green Hot Rods.

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