Drive Ride Dominant Arms, Big Eighth to 6-1 Victory

Drive Ride Dominant Arms, Big Eighth to 6-1 Victory

SPARTANBURG, S.C. — The Greenville Drive broke open a tight pitchers’ duel with a five-run eighth inning Saturday afternoon while 1-hitting the Hub City Spartanburgers for a 6-1 win at Fifth Third Park.

For six innings, runs were scarce and chances were limited. But after Hub City answered Greenville’s first run in the bottom of the seventh, the Drive responded immediately with their biggest offensive inning of the season, turning a 1-1 tie into a comfortable victory and improving to 3-5 on the year.

Greenville managed just four hits through the first seven innings, but a patient approach and Hub City’s shaky defense opened the door in the eighth. Yoeilin Cespedes started the rally with a walk, and Gerardo Rodriguez followed with a single up the middle to put runners at second and third with no outs. After Jack Winnay struck out, Hub City intentionally walked Mason White to load the bases.

Adonys Guzman made the Spartanburgers pay. His single to right-center brought home both Cespedes and Rodriguez, while a throwing error by center fielder Chandler Pollard allowed White to move to third and Guzman to advance to second. Nazzan Zanetello then delivered the decisive blow, lacing a two-run double to left-center that scored White and Guzman for a 5-1 Greenville lead. Zanetello later came home on a wild pitch by Anthony Susac, capping the five-run frame.

Zanetello helped spark the Drive earlier as well. After drawing a leadoff walk in the seventh against Paxton Thompson, he stole second, moved to third on Natanael Yuten’s flyout, and scored on Antonio Anderson’s sacrifice fly to give Greenville a 1-0 lead.

Hub City answered in the bottom half, but only after Greenville’s defense briefly cracked. Paxton Kling reached on a throwing error by reliever Jay Allmer, advanced to third on a wild pitch, and scored on Arturo Disla’s single to left to tie the game at 1-1. That would be the Spartanburgers’ only run — and their only hit.

The Drive’s pitching staff turned in its sharpest performance of the young season. Starter Anthony Eyanson was dominant, retiring the first 13 batters he faced and striking out seven over 4 1/3 hitless innings. He handed the ball to Allmer, who worked through trouble but allowed the lone unearned run in two innings. Calvin Bickerstaff (1-0) closed the door from there, tossing 2 2/3 hitless innings with three strikeouts to earn the win.

Hub City starter Ismael Agreda was nearly as effective early, holding Greenville scoreless over 4 1/3 innings while striking out seven.

Luke Savage followed with 1 2/3 scoreless innings before Thompson (0-2) unraveled in the eighth, charged with six runs — five earned — in 1 2/3 innings.

Gerardo Rodriguez led Greenville’s seven-hit attack with two hits, while Zanetello scored twice and drove in two. Guzman added two RBIs, and the Drive took advantage of four Hub City errors after the Spartanburgers had kept the game scoreless through six innings.

Greenville finished 2-for-10 with runners in scoring position, but its pitching more than made up for the missed opportunities. The Drive allowed just one baserunner through the first five innings and held Hub City to three runners left on base all afternoon.

The series concludes Sunday, with Greenville looking to build on one of its most complete performances of the season.