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Greenville Drive

Late Delmarva Runs Down Drive, 5-3

June 1, 2019 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Greenville Drive News Release


GREENVILLE, S.C. - The Delmarva Shorebirds scored in three of the final four innings on Saturday night to rally past the Greenville Drive, 5-3, at Fluor Field. The Shorebirds take a 2-1 lead in the series.

The Drive (24-31) scored the first run of the day in the second inning. After back-to-back singles by Kole Cottam and Tyler Esplin, Brandon Howlett doubled to score Cottam and give the Drive the 1-0 lead.

Delmarva (42-12) responded in the top half of the following inning. Robbie Thorburn singled and Adam Hall doubled, before a Greenville error allowed both to score, giving the Shorebirds the 2-1 advantage. The runs were the first allowed by Drive starter Thaddeus Ward in his last 24.0 innings of work.

In the bottom of the third, a Grant Williams single, followed by a Cole Brannen walk and Dylan Hardy sacrifice bunt put runners on second and third with one out. Triston Casas then singled to left to score Williams and tie the game at two.

After a shutdown inning by Ward, Esplin led off the bottom of the fourth with a single, stole second base, then scored on back-to-back wild pitches to give the Drive the 3-2 lead.

Delmarva tied with a lone run in the sixth, before adding another in the seventh to take the lead. With two on and no outs in the sixth, JC Encarnacion singled to left to tie the game at 3-3. In the seventh, Ben Breazeale hit an RBI double to center to score Cadyn Grenier from third and put the road team in front 4-3.

The Shorebirds would tack on one more in the ninth, coming on a solo home run by Seamus Curran off the right field foul pole to make it a 5-3 final.

Delmarva reliver Zach Matson (4-0) earned the win, working 2.1 scoreless innings and allowing just a lone hit and two walks with five strikeouts. Drive reliever Miguel Suero (0-2) suffered the loss, allowing two runs on four hits with two strikeouts against two walks. Delmarva's Tim Naughton recorded his 11th save of the year, throwing 2.0 scoreless innings in which he allowed one hit with four strikeouts against one walk.

Ward turned in another quality start for the Drive, allowing two unearned runs on four hits in 5.0 innings pitched with seven strikeouts against two walks. Offensively, Esplin led the home team with a 2-for-4 night with a run and a walk, while Kole Cottam contributed a 2-for-5 performance with a run.

The two wrap up the series on Sunday with a 3:05 p.m. first pitch. Greenville sends right-hander Chase Shugart to the hill, facing off against Delmarva right-hander Hector Guance.

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