SAL1 Asheville Tourists

Tourists drop homestand opener 8-4

Published on May 3, 2008 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Asheville Tourists News Release


ASHEVILLE - Jordan Abruzzo's three-run home run capped a four-run third inning for the Savannah Sand Gnats as they cruised to an 8-4 win over the Asheville Tourists. Coming off an 8-2 road trip and entering an eight-game homestand, the Tourists trailed 8-0 after three and a half innings and got no closer.

The Sand Gnats got things going with an unearned run in the first, then a double and a pair of singles made it a 2-0 game before Abruzzo's three-run bomb of Tourists starter Bruce Billings (2-2). It was the second home run of the season yielded by Billings in his shortest outing of the year - just 3.1 innings, allowing eight runs, seven earned, on nine hits while only striking out two hitters.

The Gnats sent Billings to the showers with a trio of runs in the fourth. Richard Lucas singled to lead off the frame and would score on Matt Bouchard's RBI double. Casey Craig stepped up two batters later and traded spots with Bouchard after his own RBI double. Then, Abruzzo's RBI single made it a 7-0 game at that point to end Billings' night. Abruzzo finished with 4 runs batted in.

Stellar relief pitching was the story of the night for the T's, with Joey Williamson retiring 13 Savannah hitters in a row in 4.1 scoreless innings of relief. Andrew Groves pitched a scoreless ninth to keep the Tourists offense in the game.

Asheville attempted a comeback, chipping away at the Sand Gnats lead throughout. Beau Seabury's RBI double in the fourth got the Tourists on the board. They would add two more in the seventh on Brian Rike's RBI double - his third double in two nights - and Darin Holcomb's RBI single. Seabury would knock in another run in the eighth with a single. Everth Cabrera and Jeffrey Cunningham also had multi-hit nights for the Tourists.

With the loss and Charleston's win, the Tourists drop out of first place in the South Atlantic League Southern Division and are half a game behind the division-leading Riverdogs. The Tourists will look to Sheng-An Kuo (2-2, 5.79) to regain the division lead tomorrow while Savannah counters with lefty Angel Calero (0-4, 3.00).

Tomorrow is another Ingles Family Fun Day and a Kid's Club Sunday. Kids in the Kid's Club will have a chance to "Run the Show" by helping Tourists staff members fulfill their jobs around the ballpark. First pitch is at 2:05 p.m. and the game can be heard on WRES-FM, 100.7.

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.

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South Atlantic League Stories from May 3, 2008


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