Rodriguez, McShane Lead Drive Past Tourists in Game 1 of Twinbill

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SAL Greenville Drive

Rodriguez, McShane Lead Drive Past Tourists in Game 1 of Twinbill

May 1, 2025 - South Atlantic League (SAL)
Greenville Drive News Release


GREENVILLE, S.C. (AP) - Yophery Rodriguez homered and tripled, and reliever Matt McShane tossed 2 2/3 scoreless innings as the Greenville Drive defeated the Asheville Tourists 5-3 in the opener of a seven-inning doubleheader Thursday at Fluor Field.

Rodriguez continued his strong start to the season, opening the bottom of the first with a triple and scoring moments later on Nazzan Zanetello's sacrifice fly. The 19-year-old designated hitter later launched a solo home run to right in the fifth, giving Greenville a 4-3 lead. He also walked and finished 2-for-3 with two runs scored and an RBI.

The Drive (11-12) never trailed for long after Rodriguez's early spark, answering every Asheville run with one of their own through the first five frames. Andy Lugo broke a 1-1 tie in the second with a solo homer, and Marvin Alcantara added an RBI single in the third.

McShane (1-0) entered in the fifth with a runner on and one out after starter Juan Valera walked Joseph Sullivan. McShane induced a pair of groundouts around an RBI single by Cristian Gonzalez to preserve the lead, then worked around a two-out triple in the sixth before retiring the side in order in the seventh to seal the win.

Valera allowed three runs (two earned) on five hits across 4 1/3 innings, striking out four and walking one. The Drive defense helped him out of trouble in the third after an error and stolen base put runners in scoring position, holding Asheville to a sacrifice fly.

Sullivan paced Asheville (9-14), going 1-for-3 with a solo home run to lead off the game and scoring twice. He also stole a base, one of three thefts by the Tourists, who left six runners on base and went 2-for-9 with runners in scoring position.

Bello (0-2) took the loss, surrendering four runs (all earned) on six hits in 4 1/3 innings. Garrett Apker allowed an insurance run in the fifth on Hudson White's RBI single.

Nelly Taylor reached base three times and swiped three bases for Greenville, while Alcantara singled, walked, drove in a run and stole a bag of his own.

The Drive ran into some trouble on the basepaths-Taylor was caught stealing home in the first, and Rodriguez was thrown out at the plate in the sixth trying to score on Taylor's third single.

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