Drive Shutout Rome for Second Straight Night, Take Series

GREENVILLE, S.C. - The Greenville Drive (7-8) kept the Rome Braves (5-10) off the scoreboard for the second straight night, taking the series with a 2-0 victory on Friday night at Fluor Field. The series win is the first for the Drive this season.
Pitching ruled the first five innings of the game. Drive starter Brayan Bello worked 5.0 scoreless innings, scattering five hits with five strikeouts and no walks. Rome starter Odalvi Javier matched him for the first four innings, holding Greenville without a run and allowing just two hits and three walks with seven strikeouts.
Tanner Lawson came in for Rome working a scoreless fifth inning but the Drive finally broke through in the sixth. Devlin Granberg and Brandon Howlett drew back-to-back walks and a groundout moved both runners up 90 feet. Grant Williams plated the only runs of the game with a single to center to score both runners and give the Drive a 2-0 lead.

The Drive bullpen would take it from there, not allowing a hit in its four innings of work. Yorvin Pantoja (1-2) earned the win, tossing 2.0 scoreless innings with four strikeouts. Rio Gomez came on in the eighth and earned his second save of the year with 2.0 scoreless innings with three strikeouts.
Granberg led the Drive offense, going 2-for-3 with a walk and a run, while Kole Cottam contributed two hits in the game.
The Drive will go for the sweep on Saturday with first pitch set for 7:05 PM. Drive righty Alex Scherff (0-1, 3.38 ERA) will face off with Rome righty Alan Rangel (0-1, 4.50 ERA).