Wikelman Gonzalez’s bounce-back effort nabs Tourists 5-1

Six days after being chased from his start against Hudson Valley on April 26 after two and one-third innings, where he gave up seven runs on three hits while issuing seven walks, Wikelman Gonzalez relinquished just one run on three hits, while fanning nine batters in five innings of work to bolster the Greenville Drive (8-13) to a 5-1 win over the Asheville Tourists (8-12). Drive batters would provide a barrage of 16 hits in the series opener, including six players with multi-hit games, and six with extra base hits.

Wikelman Gonzalez was sharp from the first pitch, striking out the side in the bottom of the first, and bottom of the third. He’d relinquish only one hit through the first three innings, setting up Drive batters to take the lead in the fourth.

Drive newcomer, Brainer Bonaci (who made his debut last week), led off the fourth with a double before advancing to third on a wild pitch. Two batters later, Bryan Gonzalez ripped a triple to right field scoring Bonaci to give the Drive a 1-0 lead. Gonzalez would score on the ensuing at-bat as a wild pitch plated him to make 2-0.

The Drive collect 16 hits tonight and Wikelman Gonzalez turns in a bounce-back performance as the Drive take game one in Asheville.https://t.co/pUdwEZh42O

— Greenville Drive (@GreenvilleDrive) May 3, 2023

Wikelman Gonzalez continued his stellar play in the bottom of the fourth setting up a fifth inning which saw the Drive capitalize on the momentum from the previous inning. Chase Meidroth crushed his second home run of the year to center field making 3-0 and chasing Tourists starter Deylen Miley out of the game. Later in the inning Nathan Hickey would double on a liner to right and come around to score on the ensuing Blaze Jordan single to make it 4-0 in favor of the Drive.

Wikelman Gonzalez would give up his only run of the game in the bottom of the fifth as a Freudis Nova groundout was enough to plate Tim Borden II from third with one out to make it 4-1. Wikelman Gonzalez recovered, fanning the final two hitters of the inning on strikeouts, rounding out his night on the mound.

In the sixth inning, a two-out Max Ferguson double kept the inning alive, allowing Meidroth to slap a single to center to give Greenville a 5-1 lead.

Jordan DiValerio came on for the Drive in the sixth inning, ultimately throwing two innings, allowing one hit, while giving up one walk and collecting three strikeouts, shutting the door on Asheville. He’d be relieved in the eighth by Maceo Campbell who also turned in a two-inning night which saw him relinquish just one hit while striking out four batters to preserve the 5-1 Drive victory.

Notables at the plate tonight for the Drive included Ferguson (2-for-5, two doubles), Meidroth (3-for-5 with a HR, 2 RBIs), Mayer (2-for-5), Bonaci (2-for-4 with a double), Miguel Ugueto (2-for-4), and Bryan Gonzalez (3-for-4 with an RBI and a triple.)

The Drive (Boston Red Sox) and Asheville Tourists (Houston Astros) take the field for game two of the six game series at McCormick Field tomorrow, May 3 with first pitch slated for 6:35 p.m.