Ravelo’s homer in extras boosts Drive to 5-3 Opening Day win in Greensboro
Luis Ravelo’s two-run, leadoff home run in the top of the 10th inning ultimately procured a 5-3 Greenville Drive (1-0) victory over the Greensboro Grasshoppers (0-1) on Friday night in Greensboro, giving the Drive an early notch in their South Atlantic League title defense. Ravelo’s blast to right field capped
Luis Ravelo’s two-run, leadoff home run in the top of the 10th inning ultimately procured a 5-3 Greenville Drive (1-0) victory over the Greensboro Grasshoppers (0-1) on Friday night in Greensboro, giving the Drive an early notch in their South Atlantic League title defense. Ravelo’s blast to right field capped a come-from-behind effort for the Drive, which saw Greenville score five-unanswered runs after falling behind 3-0 in the first inning.
The Drive’s comeback was bolstered in large part by a stout bullpen, which kept the ‘Hoppers scoreless over the final nine frames. Lefty Nathan Landry spun three perfect relief innings while Conor Steingbaugh, and Caleb Bolden only allowed one hit apiece in their relief efforts. Jonathan Brand struckout the side in the bottom of the 10th, earning his first save of the season.
In all, Drive pitchers recorded 14 strikeouts which included three from starter Luis Perales in his lone inning of work. The ‘Hoppers got to Perales from the outset, starting with a leadoff walk and back-to-back singles to take the early 1-0 lead. A wild pitch from Perales during the ensuing at-bat put the Drive down 2-0 before Lonnie White Jr. 's walk forced the third run home. But Perales recovered, striking out three of the next four batters to hold the deficit at just three.
The Drive would chip away at the lead over the course of the next seven innings, though they’d have their chances throughout the night as they were just 3-for-16 with runners in scoring position. Nonetheless, the Drive cut the lead to two in the fourth thanks to newcomer Ahbram Liendo’s soft infield single scored Allan Castro from third. Castro would not officially record an at-bat in the game, walking in all five of his trips to the plate. Liendo finished the night 3-for-5 with a triple.
Tyler Miller, who finished in a tie for third in home runs for the Drive in 2023 with nine, cut the lead to one in the fifth, launching his first home run of the season into right-center field to make it 3-2. Ronald Rosario, returning for his second stint in Greenville, slapped together two hits on the night with his second good for a game tying RBI in the seventh.
The Drive’s defensive acumen shone in the ninth as with the two ‘Hoppers on base, Cutter Coffey feigned to catch a popped-up bunt, letting the ball drop before picking it up and firing to third base to a covering Ravelo who in-turn whipped the ball to Liendo at second for a double-play that stifled the ‘Hoppers hopes of ending the night with a walk-off hit.
Brand closed the door on the ‘Hoppers in the bottom of the 10th, needing just 14 pitches to secure the Drive’s first victory of 2024.
The Drive return to action tomorrow night at 6:30 p.m. for game two of the Opening Week three-game series with the ‘Hoppers. The Drive lead the series, 1-0.