Greensboro, NC - An old-fashioned pitcher's duel broke out in Greensboro on Saturday night, and it was the Greenville Drive who scored twice in the late innings to come away with a 2-1 victory over the Greensboro Grasshoppers.
Greensboro, NC - An old-fashioned pitcher's duel broke out in Greensboro on Saturday night, and it was the Greenville Drive who scored twice in the late innings to come away with a 2-1 victory over the Greensboro Grasshoppers.
Drive (6-23) starter Kutter Crawford continued his outstanding start to the season with six scoreless innings. He allowed three hits and three walks while striking out four, but he came away with a no-decision, as Greensboro (15-12) starter Brady Puckett (1-2) matched Crawford pitch-for-pitch, working into the eighth inning.
The Grasshoppers scored the first run of the game in the seventh inning against Juan Florentino (1-0). Micah Brown reached on a one-out single, stole second, moved to third base on a sacrifice bunt and came in to score on a wild pitch.
The Drive finally got to Puckett in the top of the eighth to take a 2-1 lead. With one out, back-to-back singles by Frankie Rios and Lorenzo Cedrola put runners on the corners. After a wild pitch moved Cedrola up 90 feet, yet another wild pitch brought in Rios with the tying run, and when the catcher's throw got away from home plate, Cedrola motored home to put the Drive ahead.
Greensboro threatened in the bottom of the ninth when Marcos Rivera singled and moved to second on a groundout, but following a single to right by B.J. López, Marino Campana threw out Rivera at the plate to keep the score at 2-1. Marcos Lantigua then retired the next Grasshoppers hitter to end the game and record his first save.
Campana and Isaias Lucena recorded two hits apiece for Greenville.
Sunday afternoon's game in Greensboro is set for a 2:00 first pitch. Right-hander Denyi Reyes (2-2, 3.58) starts on the mound for the Drive, and right-hander Brandon Miller (0-1, 7.99) takes the ball for the Grasshoppers.
~Greenville Drive~
