Drive shutout in rain-shortened loss to IronBirds

Drive drop fourth straight to Aberdeen; game called mid-7th

Tyler Miller and Bryan Gonzalez recorded the only two hits for the Greenville Drive (27-37, 63-67) Friday night, as the Aberdeen IronBirds (32-31, ) took a rain-shortened game, 3-0 for their fourth win of the week. The rain would set in following the top of the seventh prompting the game to be concluded early.

The win gave the IronBirds the series victory with two games left to play in the regular season’s final series, and this victory followed a similar script as the previous three.

The Drive struggled from the dish, though this time they wouldn’t wait until the later innings to record their first hit. IronBirds’ starter Kyle Virbitsky finished the night with eight strikeouts and one walk, relinquishing a lone hit in six innings of work which included five hitless innings following the first frame.

Miller would be that lone hit, recording his 21st double of the season on a fly ball to right field in the top of the first - just the second time this week the Drive recorded a hit prior to the fifth inning. Ultimately the Drive would go 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position.

Aberdeen opened up an early lead as Creed Willems knocked his ninth homer of the year over the right center field wall before Ryan Higgins slashed a sharp line drive RBI-double to left field two batters later to extend the lead to 2-0.

Drive starter Yordanny Monegro settled in from there, ultimately tossing five innings on the night, allowing just the two runs on four hits, walking four and ringing up five. The IronBirds’ final run came off reliever Juan Daniel Encarnacion, an Isaac De Leon RBI-triple on the fifth pitch of the sixth inning. Encarnacion finished the night allowing two hits while picking up two strikeouts.

The Drive did seem to find momentum before the weather dashed the game. Gonzalez doubled to lead off the seventh while Matt Donlan and Nick Decker walked to load the bases with one away. But Karson Simas and Kier Meredith each went down on strikes to end the Drive’s threat. Aberdeen reliever Jared Beck tossed the seventh frame for the IronBirds.

The Greenville Drive (Boston Red Sox) return to action Saturday, September 9th for game five of the six-game series with the Aberdeen Ironbirds (Baltimore Orioles) to close out the regular season. The IronBirds clinched the series and currently lead it 4-0. The Drive return to Fluor Field on September 14th for the SAL Playoffs.