Spartanburgers win 3rd straight, defeat Drive 6-2

GREENVILLE (Hub City Spartanburgers) — The Spartanburgers procured another night of late-inning offense at Fluor Field to take a 3-2 series lead over the Drive. Hub City (12-13) scored five runs over the game’s final three innings to beat Greenville (13-13), 6-2.

It did not take long for the Drive to start the scoring. Greenville starter Devin Futrell worked around a walk in the top of the first, and Justin Gonzales smoked a triple to the corner in right on the first pitch out of the hand of Hub City starter Ismael Agreda. Henry Godbout immediately doubled in Gonzales. Agreda stranded two to ensure just a one-run first inning for the Drive.

The Spartanburgers struck back in the top of the second inning. Quincy Scott led off the inning with a single and a stolen base. With two outs, Luke Hanson brought in Scott with an RBI single. Futrell then found his groove. The lefty retired twelve straight batters before a two-out walk in the sixth ended his day. Danny Kirwin recorded the final out of the inning.

Agreda also calmed down after a rocky first frame. The righty worked around hits in the second and third before a clean fourth inning that included his fifth and final strikeout of the night. With an out in the bottom of the fifth, Agreda walked Gonzales and surrendered another double to Godbout. Gerardo Rodriguez singled in Gonzales to give Greenville the lead and end the night for Agreda.

Anthony Susac was called upon to extinguish the Drive threat. He started with a walk to load the bases. Back-to-back Susac strikeouts ended the inning; Mason White was ejected for arguing the second punchout. Susac remained in for a scoreless sixth.

An out into the seventh, Gleider Figuereo drilled a double to center field. A single from Yeison Morrobel moved Figuereo to third before a sacrifice fly from Hanson tied the game. With an out in the eighth, Kirwin walked Rafe Perich. An out later, Perich stole second base and Scott singled him in. Figuereo then hit a grounder to second base, and a two-base throwing error from Stanley Tucker allowed Scott to score. Morrobel singled to bring in Figuereo and chase Kirwin from the game. Matt McShane came in to finally put an end to the top of the eighth.

Kai Wynyard (W, 1-2) entered to pitch the seventh for the ‘Burgers, searching for revenge after surrendering seven runs on Tuesday. Wynyard worked around a pair of walks for a scoreless seventh. Wynyard set down two more in the eighth, but a walk and hit batter allowed the potential tying run to come to the plate.  (S, 3) took over and struck out Godbout to keep the lead for Hub City at 5-2.