News Summary
The Greenville Drive rallied from a 4-1 deficit to defeat the Asheville Tourists 11-4, achieving their 40th win of the season. Key performances included a solo home run from Will Turner and crucial hits from Nazzan Zanetello and Antonio Anderson. The Drive scored four runs in the eighth inning to secure the victory, supported by strong pitching from Erik Rivera, who earned his second win. The Tourists struggled offensively after a strong start, finishing the game with only four hits. The Drive look to continue their momentum in the series finale.
Greenville – The Greenville Drive managed a stunning comeback to defeat the Asheville Tourists 11-4 on Saturday, overcoming an early deficit of 4-1 after two innings. The Drive’s victory improves their record to 40-39, while the Tourists fall to 36-43.
The Tourists struck first in the game, with Lucas Spence leading the charge. He began the scoring by hitting a double, subsequently stealing third base, and then scoring on a wild pitch. Asheville capitalized on the momentum in the second inning, adding three more runs to widen their lead. Drew Vogel and Oliver Carrillo executed a double steal, setting the stage for Tyler Whitaker, who singled to score Vogel. Chase Jaworsky followed up with an RBI hit to knock in Carrillo, while Spence capped off the inning with a sacrifice fly, giving Asheville a 4-1 advantage.
However, the Drive began their comeback in the second inning when Will Turner connected for a solo home run, narrowing the gap to 4-2. Greenville’s critical offensive rally took place in the fourth inning, marked by a three-run surge that tied the contest. Johanfran Garcia opened with a single, while Antonio Anderson hit a triple to send Garcia home. Yophery Rodriguez contributed with a double to score Anderson before being thrown out attempting to reach third. Turner walked and advanced on an error, eventually scoring off Albert Feliz’s single to bring the score to 4-4.
In the fifth inning, Nazzan Zanetello ignited another rally with a single, then stole second base before scoring on Anderson’s double, giving the Drive a narrow 5-4 lead. Rodriguez continued the offensive pressure with another double to score Anderson, extending the Drive’s lead to 6-4.
Greenville further solidified its lead in the sixth inning, as Kelvin Diaz scored after Zanetello’s double. In the eighth inning, the Drive capitalized on Asheville’s bullpen, scoring four runs to secure the win. Justin Riemer walked and advanced to second on a throwing error, setting up Nelly Taylor for an RBI single to score Riemer. Zanetello recorded his third hit of the night, driving in Feliz, followed by Garcia’s single to score Taylor. Anderson executed a sacrifice fly to bring Zanetello home, ultimately stretching the score to 11-4.
On the mound, Erik Rivera emerged as a key player for the Drive, pitching 3 1/3 hitless innings in relief to earn the win, now boasting a record of 2-0. Matt McShane also contributed significantly, striking out five batters over three effective innings. The Drive ended the game with a total of 13 hits and performed excellently with runners in scoring position, achieving a 7-for-14 success rate.
Notable individual performances included Zanetello, who finished the night with three hits, two RBIs, three runs scored, and a stolen base. Anderson shined with a two-for-three performance, featuring a double, a triple, and three RBIs. Rodriguez added to the scoreboard with two doubles and two RBIs, while Will Turner, alongside his home run, went one-for-three with two walks.
Asheville’s starter, Derek True, was charged with four runs over 3 2/3 innings pitched, while the team struggled offensively, managing only four hits after the second inning.
Looking ahead, the Drive will aim for a series win in their next game scheduled for Sunday.
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HERE Resources
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Additional Resources
- MiLB: Tourists Win
- Fox Carolina: Drive vs Tourists
- MiLB: Drive Announces Series
- Google Search: Greenville Drive
- Wikipedia: Minor League Baseball
Author: STAFF HERE ASHEVILLE WRITER
ASHEVILLE STAFF WRITER The ASHEVILLE STAFF WRITER represents the experienced team at HEREAsheville.com, your go-to source for actionable local news and information in Asheville, Buncombe County, and beyond. Specializing in "news you can use," we cover essential topics like product reviews for personal and business needs, local business directories, politics, real estate trends, neighborhood insights, and state news affecting the area—with deep expertise drawn from years of dedicated reporting and strong community input, including local press releases and business updates. We deliver top reporting on high-value events such as the Asheville Bread Festival, LEAF Festival, and mountain sports tournaments at Biltmore Estate. Our coverage extends to key organizations like the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce and Explore Asheville Convention & Visitors Bureau, plus leading businesses in hospitality and brewing that power the local economy such as the Biltmore Estate and Sierra Nevada Brewing Company. As part of the broader HERE network, including HERECharlotte.com, HEREGreensboro.com, HERERaleigh.com, and HEREOBX.com, we provide comprehensive, credible insights into North Carolina's dynamic landscape.
