Campbell’s big night powers Drive to 8-2 victory over Asheville

Kristian Campbell continued his dominance at McCormick Field on Thursday night, powering a season-best 4-for-4 night at the plate that included a double, homer, and 3 RBI with a walk, as the Greenville Drive (9-15) dispatched the Asheville Tourists (10-13) , 8-2.

The perfect night at the plate for the Georgia Tech alumnus who was drafted in the fourth round of the 2023 draft by Boston, marked another chapter in a storied week. Through all three games thus far, Campbell is an impressive 7-for-12 at the plate with three home runs on the series as well as 6 RBI.

Hayden Mullins continued his stellar work on the mound as of late for Greenville, allowing just two runs on four hits in 5.0 innings as he walked three and struck out four. The Drive rewarded Mullins start early as after two quiet innings, the Drive scratched across four in the third.

Ahbram Liendo singled and stole second and third before Campbell knocked his first RBI of the night on a double to center field to score Liendo for the 1-0 lead. Allan Castro singled, Ronald Rosario smacked a sac-fly to right, Juan Chacon single, Ravelo popped out and Eduardo Lopez doubled to bring in Castro and Chacon to make it 4-0 in a flash.

Asheville responded in their half of the third as Jeron Williams and Luis Baez executed a double steal that was aided by a Rosario throwing error, allowing Williams to score to cut the lead to 4-1.

Carlos Calderon replaced Asheville starter Trey Dombroski after four innings, doing his best to keep the Drive at-bay. He would for the most part, inducing a double play in the fifth and pitching 1-2-3 innings in the seventh and eighth respectively. But the damage would come in the sixth.

After a Baez homer in the fifth cut the lead to 4-2, Greenville started the sixth off hot with a leadoff triple from Lopez while Rose reached on a hit-by-pitch. Bryan Gonzalez knocked his third double of the season to score Lopez before Liendo added a sac-fly to score Rose for a 6-2 lead.

Campbell promptly added his two-run shot three pitches later on a ball to center field, rounding out the Drive’s scoring on the night at 8-2.

Adam Smith tossed two innings of relief for the Drive, allowing a lone hit while fanning three. Isaac Stebens finished out the night for the Drive on the mound, hurling two perfect innings with three strikeouts.

Notably, Lopez chipped in his best night at the plate this season, going 3-for-4 with two doubles, and a triple while driving in two.

The Greenville Drive return to action tomorrow at 6:35 p.m. at McCormick Field in Asheville for game four of the six-game series. The series favors the Drive, 2-1.