Drive Hammer Dash, 16-3 Behind Reed’s Two Clouts 

Greenville, S.C. – The Drive plated eight runs in the first inning, including a Tyreque Reed three-run homer, four in the second, three in the fourth on a solo clout by Cam Cannon and Reed’s second homer of the game, a two-run shot, to clobber the Dash, 16-3, Thursday night at Fluor Field.

For the night, the Drive tallied a season-high in both runs and hits, 18. They also drew 12 walks. Every player collected a hit while six had multi-hit efforts. Reed and Dom D’Allessandro, tying a season-high, each had three hits while Dearden, Nick Sogard, Cannon and Ricardo Cubillan had two hits apiece.

Reed registered his first multi-homer game of his career. He went 3-for-5 with five RBI and three runs scored. He also drew a walk. Tyler Dearden went 2-for-3 with four RBI, two runs and three walks. Cannon had a 2-for-5 night with three RBI and two runs. Cole Brannen drove in two on a double.

Yusniel Padron-Artilles earned the win, hurling 5.2 innings pitched, a season-high, and allowed three runs on six hits and one walk with six strikeouts, a season-high.

Bailey Horn was charged with the loss after relenting seven runs.

There was a 49-minute rain delay at the completion of the sixth inning.

The Dash took an early lead in the first when Padron-Artilles balked in a run to take a 1-0 lead.

However, the Drive offense exploded for eight runs in the first inning. They sent 14 batters to the plate and stroked seven hits. Dearden lined an RBI single, Reed blasted a three-run homer, Brannen banged a two-run double off the center field wall and Cannon grounded a two-run single to left to complete the frame.

Greenville added four more runs in the second inning. Elih Marrero led off the frame with a double. Cubillan then walked. After a fielder’s choice, Brannen and Sogard drew back-to-back walks, Sogard’s drove in a run. Two batters later, Dearden lined a three-run double off the Green Monster to make the score 12-1.

Winston-Salem scored a run in the top of the third on a Yoelki Cespedes solo homer.

Not to be outdone, Cannon then lined a solo homer to left that landed in the Green Monster seats, giving the Drive a 13-2 lead. Dearden followed that with a walk which brought up Reed who smacked his second homer of the game, a two-run shot to give Greenville a 15-2 lead.

The home runs continued in the fifth when Yolbert Sanchez hit a solo clout to right field.

Greenville plated its 16th run of the game on a Cubillan RBI double to lead, 16-3.

Game four is scheduled for 7:05 pm Friday night at Fluor Field. The Drive are set to throw Jay Groome while the Dash are slated to start Taylor Varnell.