Drive Rally Past Tourists, 9-6, to Give Liam Carroll 200th Career Win

Drive Rally Past Tourists, 9-6, to Give Liam Carroll 200th Career Win

ASHEVILLE, N.C. — The Greenville Drive traded early leads, answered a four-run Asheville inning, and pulled away late Friday night, defeating the Asheville Tourists 9-6 in game four of the six-game series at HomeTrust Park.

The win moved Greenville to 9-10 on the season and gave Drive Manager Liam Carroll his 200th career managerial victory. Greenville has taken three of the first four games in Asheville and will have a chance to clinch the series Saturday.

The Drive offense collected 11 hits, drew seven walks and produced two go-ahead swings after Asheville briefly grabbed momentum in the middle innings. Henry Godbout reached base in all five plate appearances, finishing 3-for-3 with two walks, while Antonio Anderson went 2-for-3 with a double, two runs scored, an RBI and a walk.

Greenville struck first in the third inning against Asheville starter Parker Smith. Natanael Yuten opened the frame with a single to right before Anderson doubled through the right side, bringing Yuten home for a 1-0 lead. Godbout followed with a single that pushed Anderson to third, and Yoeilin Cespedes grounded out to bring in Anderson and make it 2-0.

Asheville answered immediately in the bottom half when Zach Daudet led off with a solo homer to left, cutting the Drive lead to 2-1. Greenville quickly got the run back in the fourth, as Mason White jumped on the first pitch of the inning and launched his fourth home run of the season to right field, pushing the advantage to 3-1.

The Tourists surged ahead in the fourth with four runs, aided by two Greenville throwing errors. Max Holy singled, stole second and third, and scored on a throwing error. Chase Call walked and later came around on Freuddy Batista’s RBI single. With two runners in scoring position and Devin Futrell entering out of the bullpen, Alejandro Nunez delivered a two-run single up the middle to give Asheville a 5-3 lead.

Greenville’s response came one inning later.

Anderson opened the fifth with a single, Godbout walked, and Cespedes drove both home with a double to left field. An errant throw from Justin Thomas Jr. allowed Cespedes to move to third, and Gerardo Rodriguez followed with an RBI single to right, putting the Drive back in front, 6-5.

Futrell stabilized the game from there. After inheriting two runners in the fourth, the left-hander worked 4.2 innings, allowing one run on four hits while striking out five without issuing a walk. Asheville tied the game in the seventh when Holy hit a two-out solo homer to left, his first of the season, but Futrell limited the damage and kept the Drive even heading to the eighth.

Greenville broke through for good against Alain Pena in the eighth. Freili Encarnacion doubled to left with one out, and Yophery Rodriguez followed by hammering the first pitch he saw over the wall in right field for his fourth homer of the season. The two-run shot gave the Drive an 8-6 lead.

The Drive added insurance in the ninth after Justin Gonzales walked, Godbout singled and Cespedes walked to load the bases. Gerardo Rodriguez lifted a sacrifice fly to left, scoring Gonzales and stretching the lead to 9-6.

Matt McShane handled the ninth with authority, throwing 10 pitches — all strikes — in a perfect inning. He struck out Thomas Jr. looking, fanned Nunez swinging and induced a groundout from Ethan Frey to secure his first save of the season.

Futrell earned the win to improve to 2-0, while Pena took the loss for Asheville. Kyson Witherspoon started for Greenville and allowed five runs, three earned, over 3.1 innings with three strikeouts.

Cespedes finished with a double and two RBIs, Gerardo Rodriguez drove in two runs, White and Yophery Rodriguez each homered, and Anderson continued his productive night from the bottom of the order. Asheville was led by Holy, who went 3-for-4 with a double, homer, two stolen bases and two runs scored.

The Drive and Tourists continue the six-game series Saturday at HomeTrust Park.