SAL1 Asheville Tourists

Tourists blast their way to victory

Published on July 4, 2008 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Asheville Tourists News Release


ASHEVILLE - On a day where fireworks usually come at the end, the Tourists provided theirs throughout with three home runs leading the Tourists to a 9-6 Independence Day victory over the Rome Braves - their fourth win in a row.

Kevin Clark provided a third inning solo blast while David Christensen's two run shot brought the Tourists to within a run in the fourth. The biggest of the night came in the fifth with Rome ahead 6-5 when Darin Holcomb tied the game with his 12th home run of the season - a solo shot to left field.

With the game deadlocked at six-all, Clark drew a two-out walk in the seventh inning and advanced to second on a passed ball. An inning after tying the game with a home run, Holcomb drove in Clark with a single up the middle to give the T's the 7-6 advantage. Jeffrey Cunningham followed with an RBI triple to center and Brian Rike's RBI single gave the Tourists all the cushion they'd need.

Asheville drew first blood when Clark's groundout scored Everth Cabrera, but Rome scored the next five unanswered with a flurry of doubles off Cory Riordan. With two outs in the second, the Braves put three doubles back-to-back-to-back from Javier Dominguez, Samuel Sime and Carlos Lee to put a couple of runs on the board and take a 2-1 lead.

Rome continued the barrage in the third. Jason Heyward doubled with one out, ahead of Freddie Freeman's RBI single. After Michael Fisher's double, Cody Johnson brought home two more with an RBI single.

Down 5-1, the Tourists began their comeback in the third inning with Clark's solo shot to dead center and continued the threat in the fourth. Rike singled with one out to set the table for Christensen's homer, then Helder Velazquez singled, then advanced to second on a wild pitch and came around to score on Beau Seabury's game-tying RBI single.

After Dominguez hit a home run over the right-center field scoreboard to give the Braves the lead in the fifth, Holcomb's game-tying shot gave the Tourists new momentum and the bullpen was there to help.

Riordan only threw five innings and did not have his best command and leaving the ball up in the zone at times, allowing six runs on 12 hits. His command was good enough for him to not allow a walk and to strike out eight. Joey Williamson (3-0) came on to slam the door for Asheville with a pair of scoreless innings on just three hits. Craig Baker picked up his third save of the year as manager Joe Mikulik elected to give Randall Taylor the night off.

Tommy Palica (5-4) picked up the loss in relief of Rome starter Edgar Osuna, allowing all three Tourists runs in the seventh inning.

For the second night in a row, the Tourists welcomed their largest crowd of the year to McCormick Field - 4,202. Another big crowd is expected to pass McCormick's gates on Saturday.

The Fireworks extravaganza continues tomorrow with Sheng-An Kuo (8-5, 3.92) taking the ball for Asheville against Rome's Jose Ortegano (2-3, 3.76). Once again, fireworks will be provided after the game. Tickets still remain, but are moving fast. First pitch is at 7:05 p.m. and the game can be heard on the Tourists flagship station WRES-FM, 100.7.

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South Atlantic League Stories from July 4, 2008


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