Drive Beat Legends, 15-3, Clinch Playoff Berth

Greenville, SC –

By virtue of their 15-3 victory Saturday night against the Lexington Legends (35-34), the Drive (39-28) have clinched the championship in the South Atlantic League’s Southern Division for the first half of the season. Although the Drive and Charleston RiverDogs could finish in a tie for first place, Greenville owns the tiebreaker of a higher winning percentage.

This is the first time in the Drive’s four-year history that they have won a divisional championship in either of half of the season. It is also the first time a minor league team from Greenville has won a division championship since the 1997 Braves of the Double-A Southern Division.

The 2009 South Atlantic League playoffs will take place shortly after the conclusion of the second half of the season, with the Drive owning home field advantage in the opening series.

The Drive entered Saturday’s game needing a win or a loss by the RiverDogs to clinch the title. Trailing 3-2 in the bottom of the fifth, the Drive used a four run inning and seven more in the bottom of the seventh to ensure that the cross-state game meant nothing.

With one swing of the bat, Ryan Dent tied the game in the fifth, blasting a towering shot over the Green Monster for his second homer of the year. Following a groundout, Tim Federowicz drew a two-out walk and scored on Anthony Rizzo’s double. Ryan Lavarnway then capped the inning with two-run homer.

Two innings later, Greenville put an exclamation point on their title run, sending 12 batters to the plate and scoring seven runs. The first three batters of the inning – Dent, David Mailman, and Federowicz – were all issued free passes before Rizzo laced a two-run single up the middle.

The scoring continued as Ryan Lavarnway knocked in Rizzo with a single of his own and scored on Will Middlebrooks’ two-out double. Greenville continued to show why they are the league’s best scoring team with two outs, scoring three more runs on Dent’s two-RBI double and Mailman’s single.

The Drive added two more runs in their final at bat as Mitch Dening and Kade Keowen both recorded RBI-singles.

Hunter Strickland (4-4) and Fabian Williamson combined on the victory. Strickland surrendered all three runs on six hits, while fanning five over 5.0 innings. Williamson held the Legends scoreless over the final 4.0 innings recording five punchouts.

The Drive and Legends conclude the first half of the regular season tomorrow with first pitch set for 4:05 at Fluor Field. Right-hander Stephen Fife (0-1, 0.60 ERA) will toe the rubber for Greenville as Lexington counters with right-hander Jordan Lyles (3-6, 3.34 ERA).

Sunday is also Family FunDay, but instead of post-game kids’ run the bases, fathers and their children will get to play catch on the field for Father’s Day. Single-game tickets, group outings, and luxury accommodations can be purchased by calling (864) 240-4500, or visit www.GreenvilleDrive.com for more information.

GAME NOTES:

Attendance was 5,923…Six Drive batters recorded a multi-hit game…Will Middlebrooks and Anthony Rizzo each had 3 hits…Pete Hissey left the game after the top of the fifth with a concussion…the Drive have double-digit hit totals in 6 straight 9-inning games