Gonzales hits grand slam to power Drive past Tourists, 10-7 in 10 innings

ASHEVILLE (Greenville Drive) — Justin Gonzales erased a four-run deficit with one swing in the eighth inning, Stanley Tucker delivered the decisive blow in extras and the Greenville Drive closed out their best stretch of the season with a 10-7 win over the Asheville Tourists in 10 innings Sunday afternoon at HomeTrust Park.

Greenville (11-10) trailed by four runs entering the eighth before Gonzales launched a two-out grand slam to center field, tying the game at 7-7. Two innings later, Tucker opened the 10th with a two-run homer to left, giving the Drive the lead for good as Greenville finished off the series finale and took five of six from Asheville (5-16).

The win also pushed the Drive back above .500 and capped a run of eight wins in nine games dating back to the final three games of their previous series.

Gonzales led the Greenville offense, going 3-for-5 with a home run, two runs scored and five RBIs. Tucker finished with his first home run of the season, two RBIs, two runs scored and two stolen bases, while Freili Encarnacion reached base five times and drove in two runs.

The Drive struck first in the second inning. Jack Winnay drew a walk and Isaiah Jackson followed with a single to left, moving to second on a fielding error by Drew Brutcher. Encarnacion then ripped a two-run double to left, scoring both runners and giving Greenville a 2-0 lead.

Greenville added another run in the fifth after Tucker was hit by a pitch, stole second and third, and scored on Gonzales’ RBI single to left-center, pushing the lead to 3-0.

Drive starter Marcus Phillips worked around traffic but kept Asheville hitless through 3 1/3 innings. The right-hander struck out five, walked four and hit a batter before exiting with two runners aboard in the fourth. Joey Gartrell entered and escaped the jam, keeping Greenville’s three-run lead intact.

Asheville broke through in the fifth. Alejandro Nunez walked and Jason Schiavone followed with a two-run homer to left, cutting Greenville’s lead to 3-2. After two more walks, Narbe Cruz singled through the left side to tie the game. Zach Daudet walked to load the bases, and after Jay Allmer entered from the bullpen, Caden Powell delivered a two-run single to left to give the Tourists a 5-3 lead.

The Tourists extended the advantage in the seventh. Cruz singled, Daudet reached on a single and a throwing error, and Kyle Walker drove in both runners with a single to right, stretching Asheville’s lead to 7-3.

Greenville answered in the eighth. Jackson and Encarnacion were both hit by pitches, and Yophery Rodriguez walked to load the bases with two outs. Gonzales then turned on a 2-1 pitch from Eurys Martich and sent it over the wall in center for a game-tying grand slam.