Drive thumped by ‘Hoppers, 11-1

It was nearly over from the start for the Greenville Drive (6-12) on Thursday night, and by the fifth inning any thoughts of entertaining a comeback were squashed as the Greensboro Grasshoppers (10-7) opened up a 10-0 lead en route to a 11-1 victory.

After combining for 14-runs over the first two games, the Drive would be held in check throughout the night as they faced down Pittsburgh Pirates’ No. 22 prospect, Patrick Reilly on the mound. Reilly seemed every bit the part of a top prospect, holding the Drive to scoreless allowing just two hits, walking two while fanning eight.

On the flipside, Drive starter Connelly Early struggled for the first time this season after two solid starts. Leadoff batter Mitch Jebb walked and Jack Brannigan doubled into center field to put the ‘Hoppers 1-0 in a flash in the first inning. Two batters later Nick Cimillo crushed his first homer of the year 438 feet off the Fluor Field rooftop, making it 4-0 ‘Hoppers after one.

Early seemed to settle in in the second, picking up a quick three up, three down inning, but the third inning would start with a bang as Brannigan notched his third homer of the year 421 feet on just the second pitch of the inning. Two outs later, Cimillo walked and Hudson Head tripled to score him for the 6-0 lead.

The Drive would notch only two base runners through the fourth, one on a Cutter Coffey walk in the third and an Allan Castro double back in the first. Ultimately the Drive left nine on base on Thursday, going 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position.

Early exited after the fourth, allowing six runs on five hits with three walks and five strikeouts. Manager Iggy Suarez tapped Drive newcomer Adam Smith to take over for Early though his night would not fare much better. After walking the first batter of the inning, he’d pick up a double play but the good feelings would sputter.

Back-to-back singles, a wild pitch and a walk loaded the bases and put an end to Smith’s outing. Gabriel Jackson took over and one pitch into his outing, Geovanny Planchart planted a grand slam into the apartments behind left center field to make it 10-0.

The Drive would not fall victim to the shutout however as a Tyler Miller single, Bryan Gonzalez reach on a fielder’s choice, and a fielding error allowed Enderso Lira to plate Miller on a sac-fly to right field off reliever Jack Carey.

Jackson extended his outing to the eighth where the ‘Hoppers tacked on their 11th and final run on a Jebb RBI-double. Zach Fogell finished out the night for the Drive, picking up three strikeouts in 1 1/3 innings of work.

The Drive return to action tomorrow night at 7:05 p.m. for game four of the six-game series with the ‘Hoppers. The Drive currently lead the series, 2-1.