Drive drop fourth in a row in Wilmington; Blue Rocks take finale 5-4

After tying the game up and erasing a four-run deficit in the sixth, the Greenville Drive (4-11) would fall 5-4 to the Wilmington Blue Rocks (11-4) as the Blue Rocks executed a double steal in the seventh that ultimately tallied the winning run. Wilmington’s victory on Sunday marked the Drive’s fourth loss in a row, in what's been a lackluster start to the season for the defending South Atlantic League Champions.

Assertive pitching was the name of the game early on Sunday. Dalton Rogers made his second start of the year for the Drive, giving up just one run on one hit through four innings as he kept the Blue Rocks cooled off at the plate; the only run coming off a Kevin Made groundout that scored Viandel Pena. On the flipside, the Drive faced the staunch pitching of the Blue Rocks Rodney Theophile who held the Drive to just three hits in his five innings of work. Though he’d give up three walks to the Drive, he’d strike out five and largely keep the Drive from inflicting any damage over the course of his outing.

The fifth inning would be the turning point for Rogers and the Drive as he gave up a leadoff double before a Cutter Coffey throwing error allowed John McHenry to score for the 2-0 lead. A sacrifice bunt put Marcus Brown on third before a wild pitch from Rogers two-batters later allowed the Blue Rocks to take the 3-0 lead.

Rogers would exit after an ensuing walk, turning the ball over to Drive call-up Max Carlson, who arrived from Single-A Salem to join the team a day prior as two Drive pitchers, Reidis Sena and Conor Steinbaugh were placed on the injured list. Rogers officially ended his night allowing four runs, two hits, and two walks while ringing up five.

Carlson would give up an RBI-double to Daylen Lile to score Pena and give the Blue Rocks a 5-0 lead.

The Drive would find some luck in the sixth as Blue Rocks reliever Evan Lee struggled on the mound, allowing three straight walks to load the bases before he was pulled in favor of Marlon Perez. But Perez would walk the ensuing two batters, Caden Rose and Eduardo Lopez, to bring in two runs for the Drive. After Tyler Miller struck out, Enderso Lira walked to score Juan Chacon, cutting the lead to 4-3 and ending Perez’s night.

Cutter Coffey slapped an RBI-single off reliever Brendan Collins to knot the game at 4-4, seemingly creating a brand new ballgame for the Drive. But the momentum would be quickly quelled as Ahbram Liendo grounded into an inning-ending double play.

Carlson held steady in the sixth and for one out of the seventh before being pulled in favor of reliever Caleb Bolden. Bolden would pick up the second out of the inning, but a double steal by the Blue Rocks allowed Pena to swipe second and Jonathan Thomas to steal home, putting the Blue Rocks up 5-4 for good.

As with previous nights, the Drive seemed poised for a tie or a late lead as Allan Castro reached on a throwing error in the ninth and Ronald Rosario walked with two outs. Chacon would slap a hard grounder to the second baseman Brown but he’d make the play, beating Chacon by a step to preserve the Blue Rocks 5-4 victory.

The Greenville Drive return to action Tuesday, April 23 at 7:05 p.m. at Fluor Field to begin a six-game series with the Greensboro Grasshoppers, affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates. The ‘Hoppers and the Drive have already met once this season during the Opening Weekend of SAL play. The ‘Hoppers won that series, 2-1.