GREENVILLE, S.C. — David Chester’s powerful bat helped Greenville avoid a sweep by the Sand Gnats on Wednesday as the Drive combined solid hitting with quality pitching to beat Savannah 5-1.
Chester, a 6-foot-5, 270-pounder out of the University of Pittsburgh, drove a two-run shot over the fence in left field off Savannah starter Robert Gsellman in the third — he has nine homers and 40 RBIs for Greenville (15-37).
The Drive added a pair of runs in the sixth on an RBI double by Boss Moanaroa and an RBI single by Jordan Weems.
The Gnats (30-21) saw their two-game win streak snapped as Savannah never got its offense in gear against starter Justin Haley.
Savannah scored in the sixth when Phillip Evans led off with a single to left field and moved to second on a base hit by Stefan Sabol. Jayce Boyd brought Phillips home with an RBI single to right.
Gsellman had a rough outing — giving up 10 hits and five runs, all earned, in six innings. The Gnats relievers did a good job keeping Savannah in the game. Tyler Vanderheiden and Tim Peterson each threw scorless innings.
Former South Effingham star Jeffrey Wendelken, who was drafted in the 13th round by the Red Sox in 2012 out of Middle Georgia College, earned his third save of the season by shutting down the Gnats over the last three innings. He didn’t allow a hit or walk and struck out three.
The Gnats travel to North Carolina today to face Kannapolis. The teams will play two games — finishing off a game suspended on May 3 with a 5:05 p.m. start. The second game starts at 7:05 p.m.
Savannah ab r h bi Greenville ab r h bi
Pina rf 1 0 0 0 Betts 2b 4 0 1 0
Sabol lf 1 0 1 0 Briscoe 3b 2 0 0 0
Nimmo cf 2 0 0 0 Koback cf 4 1 1 0
Boyd dh 4 0 1 1 Chester dh 4 1 2 2
Plawecki c 4 0 0 0 Turocy lf 4 0 2 0
MDeLaCruz lf 4 0 0 0 Tavarez rf 4 2 2 0
Frenzel 1b 3 0 1 0 Moanaroa 1b 4 1 2 1
Reynolds 3b 3 0 1 0 Weems c 4 0 2 2
YDeLaCruz 2b 3 0 0 0 Vinicio ss 3 0 0 0
Evansss 3 1 1 0
Totals 28 1 5 1 Totals 33 5 12 5
Savannah 000 001 000 — 1
Greenville 012 002 00x — 5
E—Haley, Moanaroa. DP—Savannah 1, Greenville 4. LOB—Savannah 4, Greenville 6 . 2B—Betts, Tavarez, Turocy 2, Chester, Moanaroa. HR—Chester (9). S—Brisco. SB—Koback. CS—Nimmo.
SAVANNAH IP H R ER BB SO
Gsellman L,2-2 6 10 5 5 1 2
Vanderheiden 1 1 0 0 0 2
Peterson 1 1 0 0 0 2
GREENVILLE IP H R ER BB SO
Haley W,2-6 6 5 1 1 3 3
Wendelken S,3 3 0 0 0 0 3
HBP—Sabol (by Wendelken). T—2:14. A—4,365.