The final round of the I-85 rivalry series began Tuesday night at Fifth Third Park. Hub City, fresh off a series win in Bowling Green, was looking to use the momentum to nab the three wins they needed this week in order to claim the season series over the Drive for the second straight year.
Ismael Agreda (3-5, 5.35 ERA) went opposite right hander Alex Bouchard (1-3, 4.72). Unfortunately for Agreda, who had a fantastic outing against the Hot Rods last Tuesday, he was not able to repeat that. His fastball was flat and he was not able to use his offspeed stuff to get outs.
After retiring the first two batters of the game, first baseman Gerardo Rodriguez singled, starting a chain of five straight hits. That turned into a five-spot capped by a three run homer out of the right field corner from left fielder Isaiah Jackson. From that point the story became Hub City struggling to get runners over while the Drive continued to score runs with two outs.
Following a long delay that ended up suspending the game to Wednesday evening as part of a double header, Ben DeTaeye, called up from Hickory on Tuesday, was brought on to pitch and struggled.
In the top of the fourth, Antonio Anderson drew a walk and later stole second. After striking out second baseman Nazzan Zanetello looking, right fielder Justin Gonzales singled in a run, stretching the lead to 6-0. With two away in the fifth, DeTaeye walked designated hitter Carlos Gutierrez and left fielder Isaiah Jackson. Anderson then split the gap in left center for an RBI double to make it 7-0.
The Burgers finally broke through in the bottom of the sixth when they worked the bases loaded with no out. Paxton Kling walked, Casey Cook reached on a throwing error on the shortstop, and Luke Hanson was hit by a pitch. Gleider Figuereo worked a bases loaded walk to get Hub City on the board and Maxton Martin followed it with a 412 foot grand slam to center.
Quincy Scott went back to back with a blast to the berm in left, making it a 7-6 game. Antonis Macias and Marcos Torres singled with a strikeout of De Freitas sandwiched in, but they were left on when Kling lined to second and Cook flew to right, shaving Greenville’s lead to 7-6 heading to the seventh.
The Burgers had a golden chance to either tie or take the lead in the home 7th, which started with a Hanson single and a walk to Figuereo. Martin moved them both into scoring position on an unassisted grounder to first. But, the chance was squashed when Quincy Scott hit a soft comebacker to force Hanson at the plate and Macias grounded to short, erasing Scott to end the inning with Greenville clinging to a 7-6 advantage.
The Spartanburgers again had a huge chance to do some damage in the eighth after consecutive base hits from De Freitas and Torres. Kling bunted them both into scoring position, but Cook grounded unassisted to first and Hanson was rung up on a check swing to leave them on.
Greenville threatened in the top of the ninth after a leadoff walk to catcher Luke Heyman. He went first to third on a two out two-bagger from Anderson, but it came to nothing as Zanetello struck out swinging to retire the side. But, the Burgers went anticlimactically in the bottom half with a pair of fly balls to center and a grounder to short, sealing a 7-6 win for the Drive.
In game two, AJ Russell (1-3, 6.38 ERA) got the nod for the Spartanburg Pastimes, facing off against right hander Marcus Phillips (0-6, 6.95). After Russell turned in a three up three down first with a pair of strikeouts, the Burgers drew first blood in the home half. Kling drew a walk and later stole second, scoring on a one out single from Macias. Figuereo then drew a base on balls, but Martin flew to left and Torres grounded to third to leave them on with Spartanburg leading 1-0 heading to the second.
Center fielder Isaiah Jackson tied it four pitches later with a leadoff solo shot off the base of the video board. Russell then walked shortstop Maximus Martin and catcher Ronny Hernandez. An errant pickoff throw later, left fielder Yophery Rodriguez grounded to second to plate the go-ahead run. Anderson went down on strikes and second baseman Stanley Tucker flew to center to retire the side with the Drive up 2-1.
Russell went four complete with two runs (1 earned) on just as many hits and walks while striking out six. On the other side, Phillips settled in and kept the Pastimes off the board through three more innings, giving up just one earned on three hits, three bases on balls, and six strikeouts.
Spartanburg tied the game in the bottom of the fifth after Kling was hit by a pitch to lead off. He later stole second and took third on a one out single from Macias. Figuereo grounded to second to plate the tying run before Martin struck out to end the inning, sending the contest to the seventh in a 2-2 deadlock.
Owen Proksch tossed two and two thirds scoreless, walking two and striking out one. Jesús Gamez got the final out of the top of the seventh, striking out Stanley Tucker, giving the Pastimes a shot at a walkoff.
Kling started the bottom of the seventh off with an infield single and Cook laid down a bunt for a base knock. Macias went down swinging and Figuereo was rung up looking while both runners were on the move with a full count. They both got a steal on the play, setting up Martin to be the hero with a walkoff infield single to second.
The series is even heading into Thursday, where an arm yet to be named will face off against Greenville right hander Jacob Mayers. First pitch is set for 6:35 PM.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login