Four homers and double-digit hits lead Drive to 10-6 victory over Asheville

The Greenville Drive (5-5, 32-45) compiled 15 hits including homers from Ronald Rosario, Jhostynxon Garcia, Cutter Coffey, and Allan Castro to defeat the SAL South second-half first-place Asheville Tourists (5-4, 33-40), 10-6 in the series opener Monday at McCormick Field.

Luis Ravelo amassed four RBI on two hits, and Bryan Gonzalez chipped in three base knocks as each member of the Drive lineup recorded a hit to help halt the team’s two-game slide. The win also marked the Drive’s fourth victory in the last five tries over the Tourists.

Greenville, who’ve had success in facing Tourists’ starter Nic Swanson this season, battered Swanson again in their fourth try against the righty. The Drive flashed seven runs on eight hits including three homers across the plate.

Rosario notched a two-out, two-run homer in the opening frame Monday night, before Garcia made it back-to-back homers for the Drive with a solo shot one pitch later to make it 3-0. The two recorded multi-hit games with Rosario collecting three and Garcia tagging two.

Cutter Coffey extended the lead to 4-0 on a solo homer in the third before Swanson loaded the bases with two outs. A wild pitch scored Rosario, who ironically struck out swinging but made it to first on a wild pitch earlier in the inning. Ravelo followed up with his first pair of RBI on the night, slapping a single to center to make it 7-0.

Gabriel Jackson, making his first spot start of the season on the mound, tossed three innings for the Drive, allowing four runs on six hits with three walks and three strikeouts. He gave up an RBI-single in the third to Austin Deming before allowing a two-RBI double to Anthony Sherwin in the fourth which chased Jackson from the game.

Bryce Bonnin took over from the bullpen, picking up a pop-out before allowing a sac-fly to Luis Baez to make it 7-4 and keep the Tourists hanging around. He returned for the fifth inning, sending the Tourists down in order before working around two baserunners in the sixth to preserve the Drive’s lead. He recorded three strikeouts in his three innings of work.

Ravelo added his final two-run knock in the seventh, plating Juan Chacon and Rosario, who doubled and singled respectively. Castro added his solo homer in the fifth, rounding out the scoring for the Drive, giving them a 10-4 lead.

After working two hitless frames for the Drive, the bottom of the ninth would get a little interesting for Isaac Stebens. Relinquishing a leadoff double and a walk, Stebens allowed an RBI single to Baez, cutting the lead to 10-5 with no outs. A wild pitch put Baez and Logan Cerny in scoring position but Stebens recovered, striking out Deming and getting a soft pop out off John Garcia. Stebens second wild pitch of the frame brought in Asheville’s final run before Ryan Johnson flew out to center.

The Drive return to action on Tuesday, July 2nd in Asheville, NC for game two of the six-game split series with the Tourists with first pitch slated for 6:35 p.m.. The Drive hold a 1-0 lead in the series.