Tourists Can't Avoid Heartbreak After Valiant Comeback
Published on April 16, 2016 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Asheville Tourists News Release
ASHEVILLE, NC - The Asheville Tourists erased a six-run deficit to tie up the Rome Braves late on Saturday night, but a defensively challenged ninth inning cost the Tourists in the end. Trailing 7-1 Asheville scraped and clawed their way back to an 8-8 tie after eight innings. Rome then cashed in with a run in the top of the ninth to win 9-8.
The Tourists struck with a run in the bottom of the first. Brian Mundell singled home Chris Rabago to give the home team a 1-0 lead. The Braves responded with three in the top of the second. Rome connected with three doubles in a four batter span and capitalized on a Jonathan Piron throwing error.
The Braves added four more runs in the fourth. Trey Killian struck out Wigberto Nevarez to begin the inning, but the next five Braves batters recorded base hits. Asheville trailed 7-1 heading to bat in the bottom of the fourth when they plated two runs. Mylz Jones and Rabago connected with two out RBI base hits.
In the sixth, Bradley Keller hit a solo Home Run to push Rome's lead back out to five. Piron responded with a solo blast of his own in the bottom of the sixth. Jones made it 8-5 with a sacrifice fly later in the inning.
Asheville's comeback effort was completed with three runs in the bottom of the eighth. Josh Fuentes raced home on a Terry McClure single while Piron and McClure both scored on Jones' single back up the middle. The momentum did not last long.
In the top of the ninth, Rome loaded the bases on an infield single sandwiched by throwing errors two and three from Asheville's third-baseman Piron. The eventual winning run scored on a wild pitch. The Tourists went down in order in the bottom of the ninth.
Juan Pena was tagged with the tough luck loss for Asheville whereas Rome's Trevor Belicek picked up the win despite allowing five runs in three innings pitched. Jones drove in four runs for the Tourists and McClure finished 3-for-4 with two doubles and three runs scored.
The series finale takes place on Sunday afternoon. Gates to McCormick Field will open at 1pm and the first pitch will occur at 2:05pm.
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