Late Drive Surge Leads to Extra-Inning 'Burgers' Loss
SAL Hub City Spartanburgers

Late Drive Surge Leads to Extra-Inning 'Burgers' Loss

Published on August 22, 2025 under South Atlantic League (SAL)
Hub City Spartanburgers News Release


SPARTANBURG, S.C. - For eight frames, the Spartanburgers held the Drive scoreless. But Greenville (27-25, 60-58) got to the Hub City (26-26, 58-59) bullpen in the ninth, then scored the eventual winning run in the 11th to best the 'Burgers, 3-2. The Drive are now a game ahead of the Spartanburgers in the SAL standings with 14 games to go.

Greenville couldn't crack Dalton Pence in the early going. The Spartanburgers southpaw twirled six innings of shutout ball and struck out 10, both career highs. Between the second and sixth, Pence retired 13 straight Drive batters. Hub City's starters have now struck out 31 Greenville hitters through the series' first four games.

Drive starter Jedixson Paez was just as good through the first three innings, striking out five Spartanburgers hitters and posting three zeroes. The 'Burgers bounced back against lefty piggyback arm Shea Sprague. After Yeison Morrobel was hit by a pitch in the head, Ben Hartl ripped a double down the third base line to score pinch runner Maxton Martin from first. Two batters later, Dylan Dreiling lined a single to right-center, which brought Hartl in from second.

A 2-0 advantage seemed to be all Hub City needed, as Adonis Villavicencio tossed two scoreless innings and the defense behind him twisted a double play to end the eighth. But Greenville struck out of nowhere in the ninth. Facing Adrian Rodriguez, who had been lights out in August, the Drive scored two runs on three hits, including an RBI single from Maximus Martin and the game-tying double from Freili Encarnacion. Rodriguez eventually struck out the side to get the game to the bottom of the ninth. The Spartanburgers left the winning run on first and the game went to extras

Jesus Gamez (L, 0-1) showed steely composure in a 1-2-3 top of the 10th, but the 'Burger bats couldn't find success against Isaac Stebens (W, 6-0). Stebens escaped a bases-loaded, no out jam in the bottom of the tenth with a strikeout and double play. Gamez went back out for the 11th. A pair of walks loaded the bases, then Gamez spiked a fastball which bounced to the backstop. Greenville's runner on third, Franklin Arias, hustled home and beat Hartl's throw to the plate by mere moments to take a 3-2 lead. The Spartanburgers went down quietly against Noah Dean (S, 1) in the game's last half inning.

The Drive and Spartanburgers battle for the upper hand in the series on Saturday at 6:35 p.m. ET. Hub City righty starter D.J. McCarty (1-5, 5.25 ERA) faces off against Greenville lefty Shane Drohan (0-0, 4.50 ERA).

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South Atlantic League Stories from August 22, 2025


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