Tied at 9-9 in the bottom of the ninth inning, Tyreque Reed blasted a leadoff home run on a 3-2 count down the right field line for the Drive’s first walk-off victory of the year to defeat Brooklyn, 10-9, Sunday afternoon at Fluor Field.
The win clinched the 4-2 series triumph and was Greenville’s fourth-straight victory, its longest streak of the year.
With Greenville (6-6) trailing, 6-4, in the bottom of the eighth inning, the Drive sent 11 men to the plate and scored five runs. Christian Koss led off the frame with a single and got to third on a Tyler Esplin double. Reed then walked to load the bases. Brandon Howlett followed with a two-run single to tie the game at 6-6. Two batters later, Devlin Granberg lined a two-run double down the right field line to give Greenville an 8-6 advantage. After a walk, another single and line out, Koss grounded a ball to left field for an RBI and his second single of the frame for a 9-6 lead.
But the lead didn’t last long. Jose Mena walked to begin the frame. After a flyout, Antoine Duplantis singled to put two runners on. Ronny Mauricio then proceeded to line a 2-2 pitch to right field for a three-run jack to tie the game at 9-9.
But thanks to Reed’s fourth home run of the year, the Drive earned their first walk-off of 2021.
Jay Groome started for the home team and pitched 3.0 innings and allowed four runs, three earned, on three hits, one home run and one walk. He fanned four. Additionally, between the first and three innings, Groome retired nine batters in-a-row. Jake Wallace earned the win with 1.0 inning pitched and three earned runs.
Brooklyn starter, Josh Walker lasted 5.0 innings and gave up four runs on seven hits, a homer and one walk. Michel Otanez allowed five runs while Eric Orze was charged with the loss after Reed’s clout.
It didn’t take long for the Cyclones to get on the board for the second-straight day. Duplanits tripled on the first pitch of the game and scored a batter later on a Mauricio RBI groundout. Brooklyn led, 1-0, at the end of the top of the first.
Greenville, however, quickly responded the next half inning. Nick Sogard singled to right to begin the frame and got to third the following hitter on a Koss double to right. Esplin then drew a walk to load the bases. After an infield fly, Howlett skied a ball to right for a sacrifice fly, scoring Sogard to tie the game at 1-1.
The Cyclones retook the lead in the fourth inning. Mauricio singled and advanced to third on a fielder’s choice throwing error. With runners at second and third, Luke Ritter roped a three-run homer to left-center to give Brooklyn a 4-1 edge.
The Drive clawed right back in the next half-inning to cut the deficit to 4-3. Kole Cottam got things going with a one-out double just out of the center fielder’s reach. Granberg followed and deposited a 1-1 pitch over the Monster seats in left for a two-run clout. The ball left his bat at 101 MPH and travelled 351 ft.
Brooklyn got a run back in the top of the fifth inning. Duplantis and Mauricio each singled, putting runners on the corners. Brett Baty then drove a fly ball to right field for a sacrifice fly to give the Cyclones a 5-3 lead.
The back-and-forth battle continued in the bottom of the fifth. With one out, Koss doubled off the Green Monster. An Esplin groundball to second advanced Koss to third a batter later. And with Reed at the plate, Walker threw a pitch up in the zone that the catcher couldn’t handle for a wild pitch to bring home Koss. Brooklyn led, 5-4.
After goose eggs in the sixth for both teams, the Cyclones added a run to grow their lead to 6-4. Duplantis once again started the inning with a single. He then stole second base and was driven in by Baty on a line drive single to right.
The Drive banged out 15 hits and eight extra-base hits. Granberg led the way with a homer, double and four RBI. Howlett drove in three on two singles. Koss tied a game-high with four hits, a season-high for the infielder, with two doubles.
The Drive travel to Asheville Tuesday to begin a six-game series against the Tourists. First pitch is set for 6:35 PM.
Prepared by the Greenville Drive.