Early Explosion Keys Drive's Opening Night Victory
Greenville, SC - Opening Day at Fluor Field was a smashing success on Thursday, as 6,198 fans were on hand to witness the Greenville Drive offense explode for seven runs in the first inning en route to a 14-4 win over the Rome Braves.
Greenville, SC - Opening Day at Fluor Field was a smashing success on Thursday, as 6,198 fans were on hand to witness the Greenville Drive offense explode for seven runs in the first inning en route to a 14-4 win over the Rome Braves.
The Drive (3-5) have now logged 10 straight wins in home openers dating back to 2009, and the attendance was the third highest for a home opener in Drive history.
The Drive offense struck early and often, touching up Braves (4-4) starter
Following a mound visit,
Greenville struck for single runs in the second and third as well thanks to a pair of Rome errors.
The big lead was plenty for
Rome got on the board in the second on a Drive error, and again in the fifth on a sacrifice fly by Isranel Wilson. After a pitching change in the sixth,
The Drive answered back in the bottom half with a run on a fielder's choice by Lozada, and four more runs in the eighth tacked on insurance, with the highlights being Lozada's RBI single and Osinski's two-run double.
Seven Greenville hitters posted multi-hit nights in the 17-hit outburst. Castellanos and Lozada picked up three apiece, while Campana, Chatham, Lucena, Osinski and
Friday's first pitch at Fluor Field is set for 7:05 PM. The pitching matchup will feature Drive right-hander
~Greenville Drive~