Tourists Take Three of Four in First Road Series Rike Homers Again
April 11, 2008 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Asheville Tourists News Release
Kannapolis, NC - Asheville nearly came away with a four game sweep and had to settle for three of four after dropping the final game of the series against Kannapolis 3-1 on Thursday night. Brian Rike hit his fourth homerun of the season in the first inning and Corey Riordan gritted his way through 6 1/3 innings in the loss for Asheville.
Kannapolis (4-4) used two sacrifice fly balls and a wild pitch to score all three runs within the first two innings and held on for the win. Starting pitcher Anthony Carter (2-0) held Asheville to one run on four hits while recording seven strikeouts in the win.
Corey Riordan (1-1) coming off a complete game shutout on Saturday settled down after the first two innings and managed to pitch into the seventh. The Tourists defense helped the Fordham product with three consecutive outstanding defensive plays in the fifth inning. Helder Velasquez snatched a line drive with a diving catch into the outfield. Kevin Clark followed with a running catch while colliding into the chain link fence on foul ground in right and then centerfielder Michael Mitchell ended the frame with a diving catch of his own.
Asheville entered the night first in the league in ERA and held the Intimidators to seven runs in the series. Craig Rodriguez entered the game in relief for Riordan and pitched around a walk and error to strand the bases loaded in the seventh. Rodriguez then pitched a clean eighth to give the Tourists a chance in the ninth.
Jeffrey Cunningham singled with two outs in the ninth to keep the game alive but Henry Mabee induced a ground ball to end the game and avoid the sweep.
Asheville travels to Greensboro for a four game series beginning on Friday at 7:05 with RHP Connor Graham making his second start of the season. The Tourists will play four games in Greensboro before returning to McCormick Field on April 15th to face the West Virginia Power. All the games can be heard on WRES FM or online at www.theashevilletourists.com.
Notes: Brian Rike now has four homers all of them have been solo shots... Evreth Cabrera singled and stole another base and has now reached base safely in every game he has been in this season... The Tourists will not see Kannapolis again until August when the Intimidators come to McCormick...Darin Holcomb had a double and now leads the team with four doubles through the first eight games.. The bullpen has allowed just four runs the last 18 innings pitched....
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