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Drive Win Second Straight over Legends

Ball concludes his 2014 season with 6 shutout innings
August 30, 2014

Greenville, SC - For the second consecutive night, a Greenville Drive (25-43, 59-78) starting pitcher finished his 2014 season on a high note, as Trey Ball fired six shutout frames to help the Drive to a 4-2 victory over the Lexington Legends (27-41, 56-82) on Saturday night.

Ball (5-10) allowed just five hits in his six innings while striking out five and not issuing a walk. The start capped a terrific second half of the season, as he posted a 4-4 record with a 3.36 ERA in 13 starts and lowered his season ERA to 4.68. The month of August was his best yet, as he went 4-1 with a 2.03 ERA in five starts while holding batters to a .206 average.

Lexington starter Pedro Fernandez (1-8) matched Ball pitch-for-pitch until the Drive struck for a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth. After a one-out single by Sam Travis, Jordan Procyshen smacked a two-run shot into the right-center bullpen for his first professional homer.

The Drive tagged Fernandez for another run in the fifth and ended his night, as Franklin Guzman hit a leadoff single, stole second, moved to third on a groundout and scored on Cole Sturgeon's grounder to shortstop.

German Taveras entered for Ball to begin the seventh, and Lexington almost came back to tie the game and steal Ball's victory thanks to a Kenny Diekroeger solo homer and an Alexis Rivera RBI double. With runners on second and third and two out, however, Taveras got Dominique Taylor to fly out to center to end the threat.

Jimmy Rider provided some insurance for the Drive when he smacked a leadoff homer in the eighth, his third of the season.

Taveras struck out three Legends hitters over three innings to pick up his fifth save in as many chances.

Guzman and Travis each collected two hits for Greenville. Carlos Garcia had three hits to lead Lexington, and Taylor added a pair of hits. 

The two teams will meet again on Sunday night at Fluor Field, with first pitch scheduled for 7:05. LH Daniel McGrath (5-6, 4.14) takes the ball for the Drive, and the Legends will start RH Matt Alvarez (5-7, 5.32).