SAL1 Greenville Drive

Tourists Take Doubleheader from Drive

Published on July 20, 2014 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Greenville Drive News Release


Greenville, SC - Sunday afternoon was a beautiful day to play two at Fluor Field, but the Asheville Tourists (25-6, 66-34) spoiled the day for the Greenville Drive (7-24, 41-58) by winning two, as a pair of late-inning comebacks gave the Tourists a 3-1 win in the opener and a 3-2 win in the nightcap.

Game two saw the teams knotted up at two heading to the top of the seventh. With one out, Ashley Graeter doubled down the left field line against German Taveras (0-1) and moved to third on Max White's deep flyout to center. Following a walk, Taveras uncorked a wild pitch to bring home Graeter and give the Tourists the lead for good.

Trent Blank closed things out for the Tourists with a 1-2-3 seventh to collect his third save.

The Drive received outstanding efforts from starter Jason Garcia and second baseman Wendell Rijo in the nightcap. Garcia allowed single runs in each of the first two innings, but he settled in from there, working six innings and giving up four hits and two runs with six strikeouts while retiring the final 13 hitters he faced.

Rijo was responsible for both of the Drive's runs in the game, popping a high fly ball over the Green Monster for a solo homer in the bottom of the first and cranking a line-shot over the Monster in the third for another solo homer.

Zach Jemiola (8-8) allowed two runs and four hits in six innings to win game two for the Tourists. Graeter and Raimel Tapia had two hits in the game.

Seven innings weren't enough to complete game one of the doubleheader, as the game made it to the ninth tied at one. Following a leadoff walk to Ryan McMahon, Jose Briceno drove a two-run over to left off Taylor Grover (1-4) to make the score 3-1.

Both starters in game one were one out away from completing seven innings before running into a little trouble. Drive hurler Teddy Stankiewicz left with the bases loaded and two outs in the seventh, but Grover got a popup to escape the jam. Stankiewicz allowed six hits and one run with two walks and a career-high nine strikeouts.

Johendi Jiminian went six and two-third innings for Asheville, giving up four hits and an unearned run with three punchouts.

Tapia's RBI single in the third put the Tourists up 1-0, and the Drive remained scoreless until Cole Sturgeon's RBI infield single in the seventh tied the game against Matt Carasiti (5-1), who eventually picked up the win.

The series wraps up on Monday morning at Fluor Field with a special first pitch time of 11:05 AM. RH Jamie Callahan (2-9, 6.91) takes the mound for the Drive looking to avoid the sweep, while the Tourists will send RH Antonio Senzatela (11-1, 3.68) to the hill.

Check out the Greenville Drive Statistics

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South Atlantic League Stories from July 20, 2014


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