Drive swept by Aberdeen to conclude regular season

SAL Playoffs on deck for Drive on Tuesday

The Greenville Drive (27-39, 63-69) fell 4-3 Sunday afternoon to the Aberdeen IronBirds (34-31, 66-63) on a wild pitch that allowed the IronBirds’ runner from third to cross the plate in the bottom of the ninth and clinch a series sweep of the Drive.

It marked the sixth loss in a row for the Drive, a week after taking four games from the SAL North Division leader, Brooklyn Cyclones in what was arguably some of their best baseball in the second half. (As of sending, the Brooklyn Cyclones are in first place of the SAL North pending the result of the Jersey Shore-Hudson Valley game. If Jersey Shore wins their game, they take the top spot in the North Division and take the final playoff spot.)

The Drive will have Monday to regroup as the three-game divisional playoff series with the Hickory Crawdads begins Tuesday, September 12 with game one set in Hickory at 7:00 p.m.

As for Sunday’s action, it followed a similar pattern to the week’s earlier games as the Drive continued to struggle at the plate, ultimately amassing just four hits. Consequently, two of the Drive’s four runs came unearned.

On the flip side, Drive starter Noah Song had an uncharacteristic off day. After picking up two quick outs, he’d give up a triple and then walk three-straight batters to bring in a run from third and give the IronBirds a 1-0 lead in the first. Song would be pulled following the third walk, bringing in reliever Robert Kwiatkowski from the bullpen.

The Drive, however, responded in the third inning picking up two runs to take the lead with the first coming via a wild pitch bringing in Nick Decker from third and the second coming via Eddinson Paulino stealing home while Allan Castro stole second.

But, just as with previous nights in the series, Aberdeen flipped the momentum as Frederick Bencosme ripped an RBI-single to center field to knot the game at 2-2. It would be the lone run given up by Kwiatkowski, who finished the night tossing 2.1 innings while allowing a lone hit, walking one and striking out two.

Gilberto Jimenez put the Drive back in front in the fourth, reaching first on a fielder’s choice though it allowed Tyler Miller to score making it 3-2.

But Aberdeen proved resilient, as Ryan Higgins notched his sixth homer of the year in the top of the fourth of reliever Jordan DiValerio to knot the game back up at three in the bottom of the fourth.

DiValerio ultimately worked two 1-2-3 innings for the Drive in the fifth and sixth, holding the IronBirds at bay. Nathan Landry chipped in two innings as well, allowing just two hits and a walk while ringing up one, sending the game to the ninth.

The Drive couldn’t muster but a lone hit against Aberdeen’s Juan Nunez who strung together four innings and dulled Drive bats. Reese Sharp stopped the Drive in the top of the ninth giving the IronBirds a chance in the bottom half of the inning.

Elio Prado reached third after a walk, a sacrifice bunt and a single with one way before Drive reliever Felix Cepeda’s pitch spiked in the dirt. Catcher Matt Donlan made the block, but the ball bounced just far enough in front of him and just enough between him and Cepeda to reach the ball. Prado darted from third as Cepeda nearly got him with a tag at the plate, but the ball slipped from Cepeda’s grasp giving the IronBirds the win.

The Greenville Drive (Boston Red Sox) clinched the SAL South First Half crown and earned a spot in the 2023 SAL Playoffs where they’ll face the SAL South Second Half winners, the Hickory Crawdads in the best-of-three SAL South Divisional Series. Game one’s first pitch is set for 7 p.m. in Hickory, NC on Tuesday, September 12 with game two and game three (if necessary) taking place at Fluor Field September 14-15. First pitch for both games at Fluor Field is set for 7:05 p.m.