Drive relinquish lead late to fall 4-3 to Dash

The Greenville Drive (34-29, 60-69) relinquished a 3-1 lead in the seventh and gave up the go-ahead run in the ninth with two away to fall 4-3 to the Winston-Salem Dash (29-34, 60-69); marking the third consecutive loss for the Drive and their eighth loss in the last 10 games.

Starter Dalton Rogers spun five innings in his final start of the year, struggling somewhat with command, but ultimately stifling the Dash allowing just one run on six hits with three walks and three strikeouts.

The lone blemish came in the second inning as the Dash greeted him with a one-out walk and single before he picked up a strikeout. Bryce Willits delivered the two-out knock on a somewhat awkward play. His swinging bunt traveled just up the first base line, picked up by catcher Hudson White whose throw to Bryan Gonzalez at first base was offline allowing Calvin Harris to race home for the 1-0 lead. It was ruled that Willits would have been safe even if the throw was accurate.

After 19 innings of being denied a run, the Drive bats woke up in the second inning. Bryan Gonzalez launched his 19th homer of the season, sending it 434 feet into the apartment building beyond the left centerfield wall to knot the game at 1-1. Miguel Ugueto followed up with his fourth long ball of the year two batters later to put the Drive ahead for good, 2-1.

Gonzalez’s homer marked his 30th career home run for the Drive, setting a Drive franchise record for most career home runs.

Zach Ehrhard boosted the Drive lead to 3-1 in the third with a single through the left side of the infield scoring Justin Riemer, who walked and stole second before reaching third on a groundout.

Cooper Adams held steady in relief until the seventh when he allowed a one-out single and a double to put two runners in scoring position. Casey Saucke delivered the game tying knock with a double to the left field gap that Juan Chacon nearly caught before he softly collided with the wall. The ball bounced off the wall just past Chacon’s outstretched glove allowing both runners to get to the plate.

Adams finished the night after 2 ⅔ innings allowing five hits with a walk and three strikeouts before turning the ball over to reliever Isaac Stebens. Stebens was nearly flawless, picking up two outs in the ninth with a runner on first. He walked Ryan Galanie to put two aboard before giving up a single to Miguel Santos, scoring Galanie to put the Dash ahead 4-3.

Stebens ultimately tossed 1 ⅓ innings allowing two hits with three walks and three strikeouts.

The Drive put runners on the corners in the ninth with no outs but failed to bring home the tying run as Juan Montero struckout, Fraymi De Leon was caught trying to steal second, and Riemer grounded out.

The Drive return to action on Friday, September 6 at Fluor Field for game four of the six-game series with the Dash. The Dash lead the series, 3-0.