SAL Greenville Drive

Miller Chips in Four RBI, But Drive Fall 9-5 in Saturday's Contest

Published on August 5, 2023 under South Atlantic League (SAL)
Greenville Drive News Release


Tyler Miller did his best to keep the Greenville Drive (16-19, 52-49) in the game Saturday night as the Rome Braves (16-19, 46-55) opened up an early 7-0 lead. Miller would ultimately plate four of the five Drive runs in the game on three extra-base hits including two triples and a two-run home run. But his efforts would be the only threat the Drive mustered on Saturday as the Braves took advantage of a spot start by the Drive's Jordan DiValerio.

For the third straight game the Braves jumped on Drive pitching, scratching across four runs in the top of the first on four straight hits off DiValerio. Three straight singles, the last a two-RBI knock from David McCabe made it 2-0. Keshawn Ogans followed that up with a two-run blast, to stretch the lead to 4-0.

The Drive would not fare well at the plate either in the early part of the game as they mustered just one hit through three innings, while the Braves notched more runs in the third and fourth on an Ogans RBI-single, Adam Zebrowski RBI-triple and a Bryson Worrell sacrifice-fly that made it 7-0.

Reliever Robert Kwiatkowski, making his first appearance back in a Drive uniform after being recalled from AA Portland, shut down the Braves in the fifth, sixth, and seventh allowing the Drive an opportunity to get back into the game. He'd ultimately finish the night throwing 3.2 innings, allowing just three hits.

Tyler Miller would do his best to spark a rally, ripping an RBI-triple in the fourth and adding a two-run home run in the sixth as the Drive ultimately plated three runs in the inning to cut the deficit to 7-4. The other run came via a Bryan Gonzalez RBI-single to left field to score Brainer Bonaci.

But as the game flipped to the eighth the deficit widened further as Rome got to Maceo Campbell as Adam Zebrowski belted a ground-rule double to bring in the Braves' final two runs of the night. Miller provided another RBI-triple in the eighth for his fourth RBI of the night, cutting the lead to 9-5. The Drive seemed positioned to potentially mount a comeback after a Ronald Rosario walk and steal to put two in scoring position, but Max Ferguson would go down swinging keeping the game at 9-5.

The Drive would go down in the ninth without any fanfare, sealing Rome's victory.

The Greenville Drive (Boston Red Sox) return to action at 3:05 p.m. on Sunday, August 6 for the finale of the six-game series with the Rome Braves. Rome currently leads the series 3-2 and the Drive can earn a split of the series with a win tomorrow.

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South Atlantic League Stories from August 5, 2023


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