Late Power Surge Carries Drive Past Tourists, 8-4, for 4th Straight Win

Late power surge carries Drive past Tourists, 8-4, for fourth straight win

ASHEVILLE, N.C. — The Greenville Drive continued their recent surge Tuesday night, using a pair of late three-run homers to erase a deficit and beat the Asheville Tourists 8-4 in the opener of a six-game series at HomeTrust Park.

Greenville (7-9) has now won four straight games dating back to its series against Bowling Green, and did it Tuesday by flipping a tense pitchers’ duel into a runaway over the final two innings. Yophery Rodriguez broke the game open in the eighth with a go-ahead three-run homer, and Isaiah Jackson added a three-run shot in the ninth as the Drive turned a 3-1 deficit into an 8-3 lead.

For much of the night, offense was difficult to come by.

Drive starter Jojo Ingrassia was sharp again, allowing just two hits over 3 2/3 scoreless innings. He walked two and struck out four, though two wild pitches helped Asheville create pressure in the second and third innings. Ingrassia left in the fourth after Jason Schiavone singled and Max Holy walked, but Shea Sprague entered and stranded both runners by retiring Cesar Hernandez on a flyout to left.

Asheville starter Luis Rodriguez matched Greenville nearly pitch for pitch. The right-hander held the Drive scoreless through five innings despite Greenville putting together several threats. Yophery Rodriguez singled in the third and doubled in the fifth, while Henry Godbout doubled in the fifth after Justin Gonzales reached on a fielder’s choice, but Greenville could not cash in.

The Drive finally broke through in the sixth.

Gerardo Rodriguez opened the inning with a single, and Jack Winnay followed with a walk. After Jackson moved the runners with a force play and Mason White struck out, Freili Encarnacion lined a two-out single to left field off Anthony Cruz to score Gerardo Rodriguez and give Greenville a 1-0 lead. The Drive appeared poised for more after Yophery Rodriguez was hit by a pitch to load the bases, but Gonzales struck out to end the inning.

Sprague protected that slim lead through the sixth, though Asheville threatened after Alejandro Nunez singled and Ethan Frey reached on a Winnay fielding error. Nunez later stole third, but Frey was caught stealing second on a strong throw from Gerardo Rodriguez to Henry Godbout, and Sprague escaped the inning without damage.

The Tourists finally broke through in the seventh, and did so with one swing.

After Holy struck out and Hernandez was hit by a pitch, Narbe Cruz singled to put two on with two outs. Justin Thomas Jr. then turned on a 1-1 pitch from Sprague and drove it out to left field for a three-run homer, suddenly putting Asheville in front 3-1.

That lead lasted only until the top of the eighth.

Winnay started the inning with a single, and White followed with a one-out single after Jackson struck out. Encarnacion went down swinging for the second out, leaving Greenville down to its final chance in the frame. On the first pitch he saw from Cruz, Yophery Rodriguez crushed a three-run homer to right field, scoring Winnay and White and giving the Drive a 4-3 lead.

Greenville added decisive insurance in the ninth.

Godbout opened the inning with his second double of the night, then Gerardo Rodriguez reached on a throwing error by third baseman Narbe Cruz. After Winnay singled home Godbout to make it 5-3, Jackson delivered the knockout blow, launching a three-run homer to right on a 2-2 pitch from Jose Guedez for an 8-3 cushion.

The late outburst backed a strong overall offensive night for Greenville, which finished with 13 hits. Godbout went 3 for 4 with two doubles and a run scored. Yophery Rodriguez went 3 for 3 with a double, a homer, three RBIs and two runs scored. Jackson finished 2 for 5 with a double, a homer and three RBIs, while Winnay added two hits, two runs scored and an RBI.

Sprague (1-1) earned the win despite allowing four runs, three earned, over 4 2/3 innings. He gave up four hits, walked one and struck out five. Matt McShane recorded the final two outs in the ninth after Asheville scratched across an unearned run on Winnay’s second error of the game and an RBI single from Narbe Cruz.

Anthony Cruz (0-2) took the loss for Asheville, charged with five runs, four earned, in 2 2/3 innings of relief.

Thomas Jr.’s seventh-inning blast accounted for three of Asheville’s four runs, while Narbe Cruz had two hits and an RBI. The Tourists dropped to 4-12 with the loss.

Greenville will carry its four-game winning streak into Game 2 of the series on Wednesday.