Drive complete comeback, outlast Hickory 7-6 in 11 innings

Bryan Gonzalez notched a two-run homer in the top of the 11th, and Ahbram Liendo added a game-tying two-run homer in the eighth as the Greenville Drive (16-11, 42-51) overcame a 4-1 deficit to defeat the Hickory Crawdads (14-13, 42-51) 7-6 in 11 innings Thursday night at L.P. Frans Stadium.

Gonzalez’s blast came on the heels of a blown save by reliever Adam Smith who couldn't’;t hold a 5-4 lead in the bottom of the 10th after Cutter Coffey’s RBI-single in the top of the frame gave the Drive the lead.

Smith fired back-to-back strikeouts, holding the extra-innings runner at second, but a Luis Mieses RBI-single knotted the game up at 5-5. Smith, however, picked up an inning ending strikeout to close the 10th with two runners in scoring position.

Gonzalez’s homer, an opposite field shot over the right-center field wall, marked his 17th of the season; good for a tie for second in the South Atlantic League. It seemed to provide a cushion for the Drive as the game turned to the bottom of the 11th.

Smith again found trouble however, giving up a leadoff single to put runners on the corners. Scott smacked a single to right field drawing the game to 7-6 as Anthony Gutierrez scored from third. A sac-bunt from Konner Piotto moved the runners to scoring position before the Drive intentionally walked Jayce Easley to load the bases.

Smith, however, induced the game-ending double play as Luis Ravelo, Liendo, and Gonzalez combined for the putouts to give the Drive the victory in dramatic fashion.

The Drive stared down the 4-1 hole in the eighth, but a leadoff single from Enderso Lira and the two-run blast by Liendo, his third of the season, made it a brand new ballgame, setting up the Drive’s come-from-behind victory.

Elmer Rodriguez, the number 20 overall prospect in the Red Sox system, made his Greenville Drive debut Thursday night in Hickory, spinning four innings while giving up two runs on two hits with four walks and three strikeouts.

The young prospect out of Puerto Rico was taken by the Red Sox with the 105th pick in the 2021 Draft, and was promoted from the Salem Red Sox along with lefty Noah Dean on Tuesday. He spent part of the 2022 season, all of the 2023 season, and the majority of the 2024 season with Salem, earning a 9-7 record in 30 games pitched with a 2.50 ERA while striking out 130 batters he faced.

The Crawdads made life tough for Rodriguez in the first inning as Rodriguez issued a leadoff single before walking the next two batters to load the bases. Mieses grounded into a forceout, scoring Easley before Mieses took off for second on the ensuing at-bat. Rodriguez tried to catch him stealing but his throw from the mound to second base sailed into the outfield, allowing Mitchell to score from third for a 2-1 lead.

Miguel Bleis added the Drive’s first run in the opening frame as he darted for home on Cutter Coffey’s steal attempt, scoring without a return throw to the plate. Coffey would be called out at second.

Rodriguez recovered from the opening frame, issuing only one more hit over the next three innings to stifle the Crawdads.

Crawdad's starter Mitch Bratt kept the Drive in check over his 5 ⅔ innings, issuing just one run on three hits with one walk and seven strikeouts. With Bratt dealing, the Crawdads opened up a 4-1 lead as they worked reliever Jeremy Wu-Yelland for two runs in the fifth.

Back-to-back walks and a sac-bunt by Easley put two runners in scoring position, before a Mitchell groundout scored Quincy Scott and a wild pitch scored Konner Piotto.

The Drive’s Cooper Adams spun three hitless innings for the Drive issuing one walk while ringing up two, including a 1-2-3 bottom of the ninth to send the game to extras.

The Drive return to action Friday, July 26th at 7:00 p.m. for game four of the six-game series with the Crawdads. The Drive hold a 2-1 series lead.