Drive erase three-run deficit as pitching duo comes through in 4-3 victory over the Dash

Pitching duo Hayden Mullins and Gabriel Jackson combined for four three up, three down innings to stifle the Winston-Salem Dash offense enroute to a Greenville Drive come-from-behind 4-3 victory Saturday night as the Drive (24-17, 50-57) picked up an RBI from four different batters to split the twin bill at Truist Stadium.

The overall team effort comes after the Drive were held at bay in the opening game of the doubleheader, scratching across just two runs in a 3-2 loss. The Drive picked up a pair of runs in the third and fourth, completing a three-run comeback to stay three games back of the Bowling Green Hot Rods for the SAL South Division’s final playoff spot.

The Dash (20-21, 51-56) drew first blood in game two, ripping starter Hayden Mullins for three runs in the first. Mullins issued a walk to Jordan Sprinkle and a single to Loidel Chapelli before Ryan Galanie snapped a ball over the left center field wall for his eighth homer of the season. The homer opened up a 3-0 hole for the Drive.

But Mullins hung tough, sending down 12 of the next 13 batters including nine in a row from the second through the fourth inning. Of the 12 batters, five would go down on strikes.

With Mullins finding his groove after the first, the Drive battled back. Juan Montero and Fraymi De Leon walked to open the third. Zach Ehrhard lifted a liner to left field that Bryce Willits could not handle on the run though it hung up the runners from advancing allowing Willits to recover with a throw to third to force out Montero.

Juan Chacon delivered an RBI-single to score De Leon from second, and with two outs, Jhostynxon Garcia added another RBI-double to left field, scoring Ehrhard though Chacon would be tagged out at home to keep the Dash in the lead 3-2.

Bryan Gonzalez tripled, his second of the season, to left field to lead off the fourth before Eduardo Lopez chipped in the tying run on a single. Andy Lugo reached on a fielding error in left by Willits and Montero singled to load the bases with no outs. De Leon went down on strikes but Ehrhard would deliver, lifting a sac-fly to right to give the Drive a 4-3 lead as Lopez raced home. Lopez would be the only Drive batter to record a multi-hit game.

Mullins allowed a leadoff single in the fifth before ringing up two, though a wild pitch and a walk to Chapelli spelled the end of his night. Gabriel Jackson induced a groundout to stifle the threat. Mullins finished the night with eight strikeouts, allowing four hits and two walks in 4 ⅔ innings.

Jackson would allow the tying run to reach base on a lead off single to William Bergolla who pinch hit for Jacob Burke. Willits flew out and Wes Kath came on to pinch hit for Wilber Sanchez. Bergolla tried to swipe second but was gunned down by Montero on a perfect throw to second that beat a sliding Bergolla in plenty of time.

Jackson struck out Kath to preserve the victory.

The Drive return to action on Sunday at 2:00 p.m. for the finale of the series with Winston-Salem and can earn a series split with a victory. The Dash hold a 3-2 series lead.