SAL1 Asheville Tourists

Tourists plate three in tenth for victory

Published on August 11, 2008 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Asheville Tourists News Release


ASHEVILLE - David Christensen's single past pitcher Leroy Hunt made the Tourists a winner for the fifth night in a row in a wild, see-saw 9-8 decision over the Kannapolis Intimidators. Asheville tallied three runs in the tenth for their sixth walk-off win of the season. Trailing by a run in the seventh, Beau Seabury tied the game at six with his first home run of the season - a blast to deep left-center. Solid efforts by both bullpens sent the game into extras and in the tenth, with one on and two outs, Mark Fleisher sent a 1-0 breaking ball from Craig Baker over the left field fence to give Kannapolis an 8-6 lead.

In the tenth, Brian Rike walked, Darin Holcomb singled and Jeffrey Cunningham walked to load the bases. Wasting no time, Bo Bowman took the first pitch from Hunt (2-5) into centerfield to score a pair and tie the game. After Kevin Clark's sacrifice bunt to put runners on second and third with one out, Christensen delivered his heroics. The Intimidators picked up an early run on a Jorge Castillo RBI single in the first, but the Tourists put three on the board in the bottom half of the frame on the first of Darin Holcomb's two doubles to score Everth Cabrera and Helder Velazquez. Another scored on a throwing error by the Kannapolis third baseman that allowed Bo Bowman to reach. Asheville would pick up another in the third on a fielder's choice to extend their lead to 4-1.

Kannapolis came roaring back with three in the third. With two outs and Christian Marrero at the plate, Cory Riordan just missed strike three on a close call by the home plate umpire. Marrero took the next offering over the fence to tie the game. Asheville would retake the lead in the bottom of the inning when Cunningham drove in his first run since coming off the disabled list with a single to give the Tourists a 5-4 lead.

An unearned run in the fifth tied the game for the Intimidators and then with two away in the sixth, a Matt Inouye blast gave Kannapolis a 6-5 lead - their first of the night. The game stayed that way until Seabury's blast, part of a 2-4 night where he hit the ball hard all four times at the plate.

Also of note for the Tourists is the fact that Velazquez left the game in the fifth after fouling a pitch off his right cheekbone. He suffered a contusion at that spot and will remain day-to-day. Cory Riordan batted throughout for the Tourists, giving Asheville innings where it needed innings. He fired seven innings, allowing five earned runs on seven hits with two walks and eight strikeouts. Baker (7-5) picked up the win in relief, allowing a run on two hits with a strikeout.

Robinson Fabian (4-3, 5.06) gets the ball in the second game of the series for the Tourists and he'll face fellow righty Charlie Shirek (4-6, 3.55). It will be another Kids Eat Free Night, compliments of Papa John's Pizza. All kids will receive a free slice and their choice of Pepsi product thanks to Papa John's. First pitch is at 7:05 p.m. and the game can be heard on the Tourists flagship station 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 August 11, 2008


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