Drive Run Away with 11-3 Win Over RiverDogs
Charleston, SC - The Greenville Drive (25-23) opened their short road trip with a bang on Monday night, getting offensive contributions throughout the entire lineup en route to an 11-3 victory over the Charleston RiverDogs (25-24).
After falling behind 1-0 in the bottom of the first, the Drive came right back in the top of the second, scoring a pair of runs and never looking back. Jordan Weems stepped up with the bases loaded against Ian Clarkin (1-2) and lined an RBI single to tie the game, and Zach Kapstein followed with a sacrifice fly to give the Drive the lead.
A five-run fourth inning allowed the Drive to pull away. Weems delivered another RBI single to plate Carlos Asuaje, who singled to begin the frame. Kapstein laced an RBI single of his own to make the score 4-1. Forrestt Allday's groundout brought home another run, and Stephen Drew made his third appearance with the Drive count as he smoked a two-run double to right to cap the big inning.
Raynel Velette (3-0) continued his stellar work out of the Greenville bullpen this season, as he worked three hitless innings in relief of Teddy Stankiewicz to lower his ERA to 1.90.
Stankiewicz allowed two runs in four innings but uncharacteristically struggled with his control, issuing four walks.
The Drive added four runs in the top of the eighth for good measure. Allday and Jantzen Witte each drove in runs with singles, and a pair of wild pitches scored two more.
Drew served as the designated hitter on Monday night, going 1-3 with the two-run double before being lifted for a pinch hitter in the top of the eighth.
Pete Ruiz, who pitched for the Drive in 2010, made his first appearance since joining the team on Sunday and allowed one run in two innings while punching out three. Ruiz is back with the Drive as part of an injury rehab assignment following offseason elbow surgery.
All nine Drive starters collected hits on Monday. Weems went 2-5 with a pair of RBI, and Witte and Tzu-Wei Lin joined him with two hits. Allday, Drew and Kapstein chipped in with two RBI apiece. Jackson Valera and Tyler Wade each collected two hits for Charleston.
The Drive and RiverDogs will play a pair of seven-inning games on Tuesday, as the April 7th meeting between the two clubs was postponed due to rain. First pitch of game one is at 6:05 and will feature Greenville LH Daniel McGrath (1-1, 4.50) against Charleston RH Jaron Long (2-1, 2.13). In game two, the Drive will send RH Myles Smith (1-2, 6.68) to the mound to oppose RiverDogs LH Caleb Smith (3-3, 1.28).