Pitching dominates as Drive stifle Crawdads, 2-1
Ahbram Liendo’s sac-fly to left field in the bottom of the eighth lifted the Greenville Drive (3-2, 29-43) to a 2-1 victory over the Hickory Crawdads (2-4, 30-42) Thursday at Fluor Field in a game marked by efficient and dominant pitching. The Drive trio of David Sandlin, Jedixson Paez, and
Ahbram Liendo’s sac-fly to left field in the bottom of the eighth lifted the Greenville Drive (3-2, 29-43) to a 2-1 victory over the Hickory Crawdads (2-4, 30-42) Thursday at Fluor Field in a game marked by efficient and dominant pitching. The Drive trio of David Sandlin, Jedixson Paez, and Isaac Stebens held the Crawdads to two hits and combined for 17 strikeouts as they held the Crawdads hitless from the third-inning on.
Hickory drew first blood Thursday as Cam Cauley met Sandlin with a first-pitch double to the gap and Yeison Morrobel walked to put two on. A wild pick off attempt by Sandlin moved Cauley to the third. Sandlin escaped the inning with little damage however, giving up a sac-fly to Luis Mieses while striking out Sebastian Walcott and Quincy Scott.
He dominated from there however, striking out five of the next seven batters he faced. He’d exit after the third, continuing to slowly build back to form after over a month on the injured list. He tossed 47 pitches on the night, allowing just the one run on two hits with a walk and seven strikeouts.
Greenville’s Jhostynxon Garcia continued to stay hot at the plate, launching a homer into the Greenville Monster for his second homer in as many games. He currently holds a 10-game hit streak batting .385 average, 15 hits, 12 runs, with four doubles, four home runs, nine home runs, and two walks.
Jedixson Paez dutifully followed up Sandlin, holding the Crawdads hitless through the next five innings, allowing a solitary walk while striking out five.
On the flipside, Mitch Bratt was equally as dominant on the mound for Hickory. Through seven innings he tossed just 65 pitches holding the Drive to two hits and the Garcia homer with four strikeouts. The Drive chased Bratt from the game in the eighth, as Bryan Gonzalez drew an 11-pitch walk before Luis Ravelo singled to left. Gonzalez raced to third ahead of the throw putting runners on the corners for Ahbram Liendo.
Liendo delivered in the clutch spot, sending a slicing hard liner to Yosy Galan in left field, allowing Gonzalez to score the go-ahead run without a throw to the plate.
Isaac Stebens, who struck out the side in the eighth, picked up his second win of the season, striking out two in the ninth to preserve the Drive’s 2-1 victory.
The Drive return to action on Friday, June 28th at Fluor Field for game three of the six-game homestand with Hickory Crawdads. The Drive hold a 2-1 lead in the series.