Drive Swing Past Power, 8-4
Charleston, WV - A five-run second inning was all the Greenville Drive needed on Friday, but they added some more offense as well and defeated the West Virginia Power 8-4 in the opening game of the final series of the season.
Singles by Trenton Kemp and Nick Lovullo in the second off Bret Helton (8-9) set the stage for Jeremy Rivera, who laced a two-run triple that gave the Drive (33-34, 70-66) a lead they wouldn't relinquish. Derek Miller followed an RBI single to plate Rivera, and Mitchell Gunsolus capped the big inning with a two-run homer to center, his 11th long ball of the season.
The Drive lead went to 7-0 in the fourth when Kyri Washington belted his 15th homer of the season that scored Gunsolus, who drew a two-out walk.
The monster offensive start gave Logan Boyd the victory, and he extended his single-season franchise record in wins to 14.
After holding the Power (33-34, 68-68) scoreless through four innings, Boyd was tagged for a run in the fifth on a Ryan Nagle RBI double, and three more runs in the sixth chased him from the game. Daniel Arribas hit a run-scoring double in the frame, and Carlos Munoz followed with a two-run single to cut the Drive lead to 7-4.
Rivera capped his big offensive night with a single in the eighth that scored Roldani Baldwin and plated an insurance run. He went 3-5 with three RBI to lead the way for the Drive. He was joined with big offensive nights by Gunsolus, who went 2-4 with the two-run homer, Kemp, who collected two hits, and Washington, who hit a two-run shot as well.
Marc Brakeman and Victor Diaz combined to keep the Power off the board over the final three and two-third innings.
Game two of the four-game series begins at 7:05 on Saturday night in West Virginia. Right-hander Roniel Raudes (11-5, 3.63) takes the hill for the Drive, and he will face Power right-hander Gage Hinsz (5-8, 3.77).