Rike's blast lifts Tourists to 6-5 win
Published on June 4, 2008 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Asheville Tourists News Release
ASHEVILLE - Brian Rike leads the Tourists with 12 home runs but his latest round-tripper gave his club a 6-5 lead in the seventh inning that they would not relinquish. Asheville picked up the 6-5 win over the Hickory Crawdads on Wednesday night and by virtue of the win and Charleston's 5-2 loss to Rome, the Tourists hold a 2.5 game lead in the South Atlantic League's Southern Division with 10 games to play.
Down 5-4 in the bottom of the seventh, Michael Mitchell worked a one-out walk to set up Rike's blast over the right-centerfield fence, just to the left of the 42-foot high scoreboard.
Pitching was the name of the game for the Tourists in the see-saw affair. Hickory struck first with a pair of unearned runs - one in each of the first two frames - before Bruce Billings gave up RBI base hits to Erik Huber, Bobby Spain and Matt Cavagnaro in the third inning. Cavagnaro, however, would be the last Crawdad to reach base as Billings and three Tourists relievers retired the final 19 Hickory hitters on the night.
Billings recovered from his rough start to throw six solid innings, allowing just three earned runs on seven hits and a walk while striking out three and retiring the last ten hitters he faced. Edgmer Escalona (2-0) earned the win with a perfect seventh inning, while Craig Baker was perfect in the eighth and Randall Taylor threw a spotless ninth for his league-leading 20th save in as many chances.
The Tourists got on the board in the bottom of the second inning. Down 2-0, Jeffrey Cunningham led things off with a solo home run. With the bases loaded, Beau Seabury lashed a double down the left field line to drive in two and give the Tourists their first lead. After Hickory retook the lead in the third, the Tourists would cut the lead in half with David Christensen's solo home run to left field - his fourth of the season.
Tom Boleska (2-3) takes the loss for Hickory in relief of starter Dustin Molleken, who lasted just four innings before giving way to the bullpen. It is Boleska's second loss of the season in Asheville to the Tourists.
The final game of the four-game, home and home series will be Thursday night when the Tourists send Sheng-An Kuo (6-3, 3.65) to the mound to face Rafael De Los Santos (2-3, 4.22). It'll be another Thirsty Thursday with dollar soft drinks and domestic drafts served all night long. It'll also be the Tourists first-ever Speed Dating Night. First pitch will be at 7:05 p.m. and the game can be heard on the Tourists flagship station WRES-FM.
The Asheville Tourists are the Single-A affiliate of the Colorado Rockies. Tickets are available by contacting the front office at (828)-258-0428 or on the website, www.theashevilletourists.com.
South Atlantic League Stories from June 4, 2008
- Braves Tomahawk RiverDogs, 5-2 - Rome Emperors
- 'Birds, Captains postponed - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Drive Defeat GreenJackets 7-3 in Opener - Greenville Drive
- Rike's blast lifts Tourists to 6-5 win - Asheville Tourists
- Power secure seventh consecutive road win - Charleston Dirty Birds
- Streaking Hoppers Closing In - Greensboro Grasshoppers
- Jackets Drop Second Straight - Augusta GreenJackets
- Intimidators Drop Sixth Straight 8-5 To West Virginia - Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
- BlueClaws Wednesday night game postponed, tickets exchangeable - Jersey Shore BlueClaws
- You Are Cordially Invited - Jersey Shore BlueClaws
- Three Suns Named to SAL All-Star Team - Hagerstown Suns
- Ding Dong! The Witch is Dead - Columbus Catfish
- Game Still On: Legends Game Will Be "Off The Wall" - Lexington Legends
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