Spartanburgers Outblasted by Drive in Series Finale

SPARTANBURG, S.C. — In Sunday’s Salute to the Negro Leagues game between Greenville and Hub City, the teams wore Spartanburg Sluggers and Greenville Black Spinners jerseys. The Drive (24-24, 50-61) took an early lead over the Spartanburgers (18-29, 52-61) and held on the whole way for a 10-5 win.

Starting pitchers Enrique Segura (L, 1-5) and Matt Duffy both delivered scoreless first innings. Greenville struck against Segura in the top of the second, as Carlos Gutierrez led off with a walk and scored two batters later after an error in left field. The Drive added a second run against Segura in the third. Segura hit Justin Gonzales with a pitch and later allowed the runner to advance two bases on a wild pitch which caromed around the backstop. Gonzales scored on a double by Owen Hull.

Leading 2-0, the Drive took off against Luke Savage, who entered to pitch the fourth. Greenville batted all nine and scored four runs on seven hits, including a leadoff home run by Yophery Rodriguez.

Hub City battled back in the following half inning. Casey Cook smacked a leadoff double against Duffy, who then exited in the middle of a duel with Antonis Macias due to an apparent injury. Alex Bouchard (W, 2-3) took over for Duffy, and Macias clobbered Bouchard's fourth pitch off the scoreboard. Marcos Torres and Quincy Scott followed up with back-to-back hits. Torres came across on a groundout from Carter Garate to make it 6-3.

After a one-two-three top of the fifth from J’Briell Easley, Hub City cut further into the Drive lead. Paxton Kling smacked a solo home run, his seventh long ball of the season. That run was immediately canceled out in the top of the sixth. Owen Proksch took over on the mound and surrendered an opposite-field home run to Justin Gonzales.

Bouchard tossed a pair of scoreless innings in the sixth and the seventh. Wily Villar entered for the top of the seventh, his second outing with the Spartanburgers. Maximus Martin greeted him with a line-drive double. An out later, Antonio Anderson singled him in. With two outs, Gonzales smoked his second home run of the game, upping the Drive lead to 10-4.

Villar and Luimy Munoz combined to keep the Drive off the board in the final two innings. Brandon Neely took over for the Drive on the bump in the eighth. The righty gave up a double to Macias to start his night. A balk and a passed ball brought Macias in to score. Neely worked around a hit batter to finish the eighth. He set down the side in the ninth to cap of the series.

The Spartanburgers hit the road next week to visit the Rome Emperors, High-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves. With a doubleheader scheduled for Wednesday, the two will play a seven-game series beginning Tuesday night at 6:45 p.m. ET.

About the Hub City Spartanburgers

The Hub City Spartanburgers are the High-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers and the reigning South Atlantic League South Division Champions. For more information on the Spartanburgers, visit milb.com/hub-city. For information about tickets to any of Hub City’s 66 home games, call 864-594-0701 or email: [email protected]. For media inquiries, email: [email protected]. Follow along with the Spartanburgers on social media.