Drive Fall One Run Short to Crawdads, 4-3

Despite a Major League rehab assignment from left-hander Andrew Miller, and a strong Drive (3-2) debut by Madison Younginer, the Drive couldn't fend off a late rally by the Crawdads. Hickory (4-1) scored three times in the top of the eighth inning, stealing a 4-3 victory at Fluor Field in the series opener Monday.

In his final appearance in a Drive uniform, Miller needed just nine pitches to get through the top of the Crawdads lineup in order, striking out one before exiting. A former standout at Mauldin High School, Younginer picked up where Miller left off, retiring the first six batters he faced.

But for the first time of the young 2012 season, the Drive fell behind first when Hickory scored in the top of the fourth. Luis Sardinas led off with a single, stole second and came around to score on Rougned Odor's single. Younginer was able to avoid any more damage, stranding runners on second and third, with a pair of strikeouts to end the inning.

Greenville answered in the bottom of the fifth and sixth innings, scoring a run in each to take a one-run lead. Jose Garcia roped a ground-rule double to centerfield to lead off the bottom of the fifth, and after advancing to third on passed ball, scored on Cody Koback's sacrifice fly.

An inning later, David Renfroe hit a double of his own, and was able to score from second on a two-out infield single by Matt Marquis. But after Charle Rosario was perfect in three innings of relief, the Crawdads answered when Chris Grayson blasted a three-run homer, with two outs, off of Hunter Cervenka (0-1).

The Drive pulled within a run in the bottom of the eighth, on Renfroe's second double of the night, but they weren't able to tie the game. Phil Klein struckout two batters in the bottom of the ninth, and was aided by a diving catch by Grayson in leftfield on Jose Vinicio's battle ball to preserve the win.

The Drive and Crawdads continue their three-game series on Tuesday with first pitch set for 4:05 PM. Left-hander Rich Hill (0-0, 0.00 ERA) will make his second rehab appearance with the Drive before turning the game over to right-hander Yeiper Castillo (0-0, 0.00 ERA). Hickory will counter with lefty Andrew Faulkner (0-0, --ERA).

Following tomorrow's afternoon game, fans will be treated to an amateur contest between the Clemson Tigers and Furman Paladins. One ticket gets you into both games at Fluor Field on Tuesday.

GAME NOTES: Attendance was 3,689...after striking out only once in the first 29 plate appearances, Drive batters K'd in 5 of their last 7 to end the game...Former Clemson standout Will Lamb started for Hickory and tossed 4.0 shutout innings, allowing 3 hits, 0 walks, 0 strikeouts, and 1 hit batsman