Drive Top Kannapolis, 3-1, in First Half Home Finale

GREENVILLE, S.C. - The Greenville Drive topped the Kannapolis Intimidators, 3-1, on Wednesday night at Fluor Field in the first half home finale, taking the series 2-1.
Kannapolis opened the scoring with a run in the fourth. With two outs and a runner on second, Alex Destino doubled to left to score Lenyn Sosa from second and give the Intimidators a 1-0 lead.
The lead would not last long as the Drive responded with two runs in the bottom half of the fourth. Back-to-back singles from Tyler Esplin and Devlin Granberg put two aboard for Jordan Wren, who doubled to right center to score both and give the home team a 2-1 lead.

Greenville added a run in the fifth. Grant Williams led off with a triple and scored two batters later on a single by Esplin to extend the lead to 3-1.
Drive starter Chase Shugart (2-0) was stellar in his fourth start of the year, retiring the first 10 batters he faced and allowing just one unearned run on the night. The righty allowed four hits in 5.2 innings pitched and struck out six with no walks to earn his second win of the year.
The Drive bullpen was able to hold it down from there. Oddanier Mosqueda came on with two on and two outs in the sixth and, after a Drive error that loaded the bases, recorded a strikeout to strand three and preserve the lead. The lefty went on to work 2.1 scoreless innings and allowed two hits with five striekouts against no walks.
Logan Browning earned his fifth save of the season with a scoreless ninth, fanning the first two batters he faced. All told, Drive pitching combined for 13 strikeouts without issuing a walk in the win.
Kannapolis starter Davis Martin (3-6) suffered the loss, allowing three runs on eight hits with five strikeouts against two walks.
Offensively, Esplin led the way for Greenville with a 2-for-3 performance to go with a run and an RBI. Wren provided the biggest hit of the night, driving in two with his single in the fourth.
The Drive close out the first half with a four-game series against the Charleston Riverdogs in Charleston, beginning on Thursday.