Dobbins deals from the mound as Drive take 2-1 victory in Rome

Dobbins: 7.0 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 10 Ks

For the second straight night a Greenville Drive (23-20) starting pitcher posted double-digit strikeouts; this time from the arm of Hunter Dobbins who spun seven scoreless while striking out 10 to aid the Drive to a 2_-_1 win over the Rome Braves (21-22).

Dobbins seemed to get stronger as the night went on, keeping Braves batters off-balance with a mix of fastballs and diving breaking balls, evidenced by striking out the side in his seventh and final inning of the night.

He’d relinquish just four hits, all singles, as he kept the Braves at bay. On the flip side, Drive batters turned in eight hits, and the two runs they mustered would be enough to clinch the victory.

The Drive’s first run came in the second inning, as Tyler Esplin scored off an Eddinson Paulino single, helping the Drive to an early 1-0 lead. Dobbins dealt early as well, picking up multiple double plays, and garnering seven strikeouts through six innings.

Drive bats garnered ten hits but couldn’t string them together for some runs throughout the game as they left 10 runners on base and ultimately went 0-for-10 with runners in scoring position.

The Drive picked up their final and the ultimately decisive run in the seventh as Marcelo Mayer’s grounder to second was enough to score Max Ferguson to make it 2-0.

After Dobbins struck out the side in the seventh, Nate Tellier took over on the mound, allowing one hit, an RBI-single off the bat of Cory Acton to make it 2-1. Tellier picked up two strikeouts to persevere the Drive lead.

Joey Stock came on for the save attempt in ninth, allowing just one base runner on a walk. But despite bringing the game winning run to the plate, Stock picked up three strikeouts, picking up his second save of the year and preserving the Drive’s 2-1 win.

The Drive (Boston Red Sox) picked up win number four of the seven game series clinching a series win with two games left to play in Rome. They return to action tomorrow, for game six of the seven game series with the Rome Braves (Atlanta Braves) with first pitch slated for 5:00 p.m. The Drive currently hold a 4-1 series lead.