Tourists Overcome Quick Drive Start, Rain Delay
Published on July 20, 2014 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Asheville Tourists News Release
Greenville, SC-- The Asheville Tourists winning streak reached a season-high on Saturday night as they won their eighth game in a row; 6-3 over the Greenville Drive. When you look at what Asheville has done as of late; going 15-2 in the month of July and winning 13 straight road games dating back to June 11, their winning streak is just another recent accomplishment. In what was originally supposed to be a double-header, both teams were forced to wait out a three hour and forty-minute rain delay before settling for the lone contest. Asheville appeared a bit sloppy in the first inning. The Drive plated all three of their runs in the bottom of the first by taking advantage of three Tourists errors in the frame.
Asheville's starting pitcher, Konner Wade, settled into a groove following the rocky first. Wade retired 13 Drive batters in a row and notched a season-high nine strikeouts. The Scottsdale, Arizona native worked 6.2 innings and allowed just three hits--all singles.
It took the Tourists a while to overcome the 3-0 deficit, but in the bottom of the sixth they struck in a big way. With runners at second and third, Michael Benjamin doubled into the left field corner to plate a pair. Benjamin later scored on a Ryan McMahon groundout to tie the game. The Tourists took the lead in the top of the eighth. Max White walked to lead off the inning, went to second on Benjamin's sacrifice bunt, took third on a groundout by Raimel Tapia, then scored when McMahon hit a line drive to second that kicked off Wendell Rijo's glove.
Benjamin gave the visitors some cushion in the top of the ninth. With two outs and the bases loaded, he dropped a single into right field that scored two more. The Drive went down in order in the bottom of the ninth.
Troy Neiman earned the win by tossing 2.1 scoreless innings in relief of Wade while Jonathan Aro suffered the loss after surrendering all six of Asheville's runs. Wade and Neiman kept the Drive scoreless for the final 8.1 innings. Benjamin finished 2-for-4 with 4 RBI.
The double-header will take place on Sunday afternoon with game one scheduled to begin at 2:00pm. The Tourists have played two double-headers this year and split the result on both occasions.
South Atlantic League Stories from July 20, 2014
- Early Lead Doesn't Hold in 'Dads 6-5 Loss - Hickory Crawdads
- Double Header Sweep Runs Road Winning Streak to 15 - Asheville Tourists
- GreenJackets Blow out RiverDogs - Charleston RiverDogs
- Wild Pitch in Ninth Boosts Suns - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Salgado Perfect in Relief Win over Lakewood - Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
- Tourists Take Doubleheader from Drive - Greenville Drive
- Lead Slips Away as BlueClaws Fall 7-6 in Kannapolis - Jersey Shore BlueClaws
- Rome Drops Power 10-4 - Charleston Dirty Birds
- Savannah Sweeps Legends 5-0, 3-1 - Lexington Legends
- Gant Chases No-No in Gnats' Sweep Sunday - Savannah Sand Gnats
- Game Notes: Kannapolis Intimidators (White Sox) vs. Lakewood BlueClaws (Phillies) - July 20, 2014 - Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
- Shorebirds Game Notes vs. Hagerstown - Delmarva Shorebirds
- White Sox Purchase Contract of Former Intimidators RHP Thompson - Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
- WV Power Game Notes - Charleston Dirty Birds
- Tourists Overcome Quick Drive Start, Rain Delay - Asheville Tourists
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
