SAL1 Lexington Legends

Greenville Rallies Twice, Then Wins in 15 over Legends 11-10

Published on July 20, 2012 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Lexington Legends News Release


(GREENVILLE, S.C.) Garin Cecchini's infield hit scored Jose Garcia with the winning run in the bottom of the 15th inning, giving the Greenville Drive an 11-10 win over the Lexington Legends Thursday night. The Drive had rallied to tie the game with three runs in the ninth inning and with two runs in the 12th.

In the 15th, Garcia led off with a double, stole third and stayed there as Keury De La Cruz grounded out to first base. Cecchini then hit a slow roller up the first base line that was fielded by pitcher Mitchell Lambson, who attempted to flip the ball backhanded to catcher Ryan McCurdy, but Garcia was able to score from third, giving the Drive the victory.

The Legends took a 1-0 lead in the second inning on a solo homer by Mike Kvasnicka, but Greenville's Blake Swihart matched that with a homer in the bottom of the second to tie the score.

The Drive built a 5-1 lead with four runs in the fifth inning. Cody Koback reached on an error by third baseman Jose Fernandez, and Jordan Weems and Jose Vinicio each singled to load the bases. Garcia, who had four hits in the game, singled, scoring Koback. De La Cruz struck out, but Cecchini singled, scoring both Weems and Vinicio, and sending Garcia to third. David Renfroe's ground out scored Garcia with the fourth run of the inning.

The Legends cut the lead to 5-2 in the sixth inning when Matt Duffy reached on an error by Vinicio at shortstop, moved to third on a double by Brandon Meredith and scored on Kvasnicka's sacrifice fly.

The Legends scored six runs on one hit in the seventh inning to take an 8-5 lead. Greenville reliever Dylan Chavez hit McCurdy with a pitch, and Fernandez and Delino DeShields Jr. walked, loading the bases. Jordan Scott's ground single to right field scored McCurdy and Fernandez to bring the Legends to within a run at 5-4. A wild pitch by Chavez allowed DeShields to score the tying run as Scott moved to second. Nolan Fontana walked, and after Matty Ott relieved Chavez, Ott hit Matt Duffy with a pitch, loading the bases again. Meredith's sacrifice fly brought Scott home with the tie-breaking run as Fontana went to third and Duffy to second. Ott threw another wild pitch, which allowed Fontana to score, and Duffy came home on a passed ball charged to catcher Jordan Weems, giving the Legends an 8-5 lead.

That margin remained intact until the bottom of the ninth. With closer Dayan Diaz on the mound for Lexington, Garcia walked, De La Cruz doubled, and Cecchini walked, loading the bases. Renfroe's single scored one run, and after Henry Ramos struck out, Swihart walked to force in a run, and Koback singled to bring in the tying run. But with the bases loaded and one out, Weems grounded to third. Fernandez threw home for a force play, and McCurdy's relay to first got Weems to complete the double play and send the game to extra innings.

In the Lexington 12th, Fontana walked, Duffy singled, and after Meredith struck out, Kvasnicka lined a double to right center field, scoring Fontana and Duffy and giving the Legends a 10-8 lead.

But the Drive rallied again in the bottom of the 12th. Swihart led off with a double and moved to third on Koback's single. Weems grounded into a force play at second as Swihart scored. Jose Vinicio forced Weems out at second, but Garcia singled, moving Vinicio to third, from where he scored the tying run as De La Cruz beat out a slow grounder to third. That sent the game into the13th inning, and the score remained 10-10 until Garcia and Cecchini teamed up to end it in the 15th.

Tyler Lockwood (4-2), who entered the game with one out in the top of the 15th, got the win. Mitchell Lambson (1-1), who relieved at the start of the 14th inning, took the loss.

The series continues Friday night. Game time is 7:05 p.m.

Attendance 5,771

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South Atlantic League Stories from July 20, 2012


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