Drive Rally From Five Down Before Falling to Tourists in Extras, 7-6

ASHEVILLE, N.C. — The Greenville Drive erased a five-run deficit with a late three-run surge in the eighth inning, but the Asheville Tourists pushed across the winning run in the 10th to hand Greenville a 7-6 loss Thursday night at HomeTrust Park in game three of the six-game series.

Greenville (8-10) trailed 5-0 after two innings and 6-3 entering the eighth before Yophery Rodriguez, Natanael Yuten and Gerardo Rodriguez helped spark the comeback. But after the Drive were held scoreless with the automatic runner in the top of the 10th, Asheville (5-13) used a sacrifice bunt and a sacrifice fly to walk off the win.

Chase Call began the bottom of the 10th at second base for Asheville. Max Holy moved him to third with a sacrifice bunt against Steven Brooks, and Cesar Hernandez followed with a sacrifice fly to center field, bringing home Call with two outs for the winning run.

The loss snapped Greenville’s five-game winning streak, which dated back to the final three games of the previous series against Bowling Green and the first two games of the current set in Asheville.

The Drive’s comeback began in the fifth after Asheville starter Cole Hertzler held Greenville scoreless over the first four innings. Raimy Rodriguez entered from the bullpen and immediately opened the door, walking Antonio Anderson, Yoeilin Cespedes and Gerardo Rodriguez to load the bases.

Jack Winnay brought home Greenville’s first run with a groundout, and Isaiah Jackson followed with another RBI groundout to trim the deficit to 5-2. Mason White walked to extend the inning, and Adonys Guzman reached on an error by third baseman Alberto Hernandez, allowing Gerardo Rodriguez to score and make it 5-3.

Asheville answered in the bottom half without a hit. Call walked, stole second, moved to third on a groundout and scored on Kyle Walker’s line-drive sacrifice fly to center, pushing the Tourists’ lead back to 6-3.

Greenville pulled even in the eighth. Yophery Rodriguez opened the inning with a walk, and Yuten drove him in with a double to right field. A throwing error on the play allowed Yuten to advance, and after Anderson grounded him to third, Cespedes lifted a sacrifice fly to right to bring the Drive within a run.

Gerardo Rodriguez then tied the game with two outs, launching his first home run of the season to left field off Colby Langford on a 1-2 pitch. The solo shot completed Greenville’s climb back from a five-run hole and made it 6-6.

The Drive finished with just three hits but drew 10 walks and took advantage of four Asheville errors. Greenville, however, went 0-for-10 with runners in scoring position and left 10 men on base.

Asheville built its early lead against Greenville starter Ben Hansen. Justin Thomas Jr. walked to open the bottom of the first, stole second and scored on Ethan Frey’s double to right field for a 1-0 lead.

The Tourists broke the game open in the second. Walker was hit by a pitch, Alberto Hernandez singled and Thomas walked to load the bases for Jason Schiavone. With one out, Schiavone hit a 2-2 pitch over the wall in left for a grand slam, his sixth homer of the season, giving Asheville a 5-0 lead.

Hansen struck out four but allowed five runs on four hits and three walks over 1 2/3 innings. Alex Bouchard entered in the second and kept Greenville within reach, allowing one run on two hits over 3 1/3 innings. He walked four and struck out three.

Calvin Bickerstaff delivered the Drive’s strongest stretch of the night out of the bullpen. The right-hander worked four hitless innings, struck out six and walked two, lowering his ERA to 0.60. He retired the side in order in the sixth, seventh and eighth before escaping a major threat in the ninth.

In the ninth, Thomas walked with one out, stole second and later stole third after Bickerstaff intentionally walked Frey. Frey also stole second on the play, putting the winning run 90 feet away and another runner in scoring position. Bickerstaff answered by striking out Drew Brutcher and Call to keep the game tied.

Greenville had its chance in the top of the 10th with Guzman starting at second, but Langford struck out Yophery Rodriguez and Yuten before Anderson grounded out to end the inning.

Thomas was a catalyst throughout for Asheville despite going hitless, walking four times, scoring twice and stealing five bases. Schiavone drove in four with his second-inning grand slam, while Frey and Walker each doubled.

Gerardo Rodriguez reached base three times for Greenville, going 1-for-3 with a homer, two walks, two runs scored and an RBI. Yuten added a double and scored in the eighth, while Guzman collected Greenville’s other hit.

Langford earned the win for Asheville despite blowing the save, allowing one run on one hit over 2 2/3 innings with four strikeouts. Brooks took the loss for Greenville, allowing the automatic runner to score in the 10th without surrendering a hit.

The six-game series continues Friday night at HomeTrust Park.