GREENVILLE, S.C. - The Greenville Drive dropped the series opener to the Hickory Crawdads, 5-1, on Thursday night at Fluor Field.Hickory got on the board first, scoring one in the second and adding two in the third. A solo home run by Melvin Novoa in the second made it a
GREENVILLE, S.C. - The Greenville Drive dropped the series opener to the Hickory Crawdads, 5-1, on Thursday night at Fluor Field.
Hickory got on the board first, scoring one in the second and adding two in the third. A solo home run by Melvin Novoa in the second made it a 1-0 game. An RBI double by Tyreque Reed and a sac fly by Melvin Novoa and scored two more in the third, giving the Crawdads a 3-0 advantage.
The Crawdads tacked on one in the fourth and another in the eighth. Reed led off the fourth with a single and later stole second, before a Ryan Anderson single scored him to make it a 4-0 game. In the eighth, a solo home run by Miguel Aparicio extended the lead to 5-0.
The Drive finally broke through in the ninth. Everlouis Lozada opened the frame with a double to right and Tyler Esplin followed with a walk to put two on with no outs. After a strikeout and forceout, Alan Marrero drew a two-out walk to load the bases. Korby Batesole then scored Lozada with a bunt single up the third base line to make it a 5-1 game. The Drive rally would end there, as Tai Tiedemann got a strikeout to end it.
Hickory starter Ronny Henriquez (4-6) earned the win, throwing 6.0 scoreless innings and allowing two hits with seven strikeouts against two walks. Drive starter Chase Shugart (6-4) was tagged for the loss, allowing four runs (three earned) on eight hits in 5.0 innings pitched with four strikeouts against one walk. Tiedemann earned his first save of the season, working the final 3.0 innings and allowing one run on three hits with five strikeouts against two walks.
Batesole led the Drive on a tough offensive night, going 2-for-4 with a pair of singles and an RBI. Marrero reached base three times with two walks and a single. Lozada added a double, while Cole Brannen contributed a single.
Alex Demchak worked 3.0 innings in relief, allowing a lone run on two hits with three strikeouts against one walk.
The series continues on Friday with first pitch at 7:05 PM. Drive right-hander Brayan Bello will face off against Hickory right-hander Cole Winn.
