Tourists Win Pair, Split Series
Published on April 20, 2009 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Asheville Tourists News Release
(Asheville, NC) - The Tourists (5-7) and Hickory Crawdads (6-6) took the field Monday night to complete their four-game series with a doubleheader, following the postponement of Sunday afternoon's contest. The teams played a sloppy opener, combining for six errors, but the Tourists came out on top 10-3 thanks to some timely hitting. Game two was more of a conventional affair, with Asheville edging past Hickory 3-1 with some late inning heroics.
Dan Houston made the start for Asheville in game one and pitched effectively, allowing just two runs (one earned) on three hits and three walks while striking out seven Crawdads. Despite the solid performance, Houston only last four innings, so did not qualify for the victory. Isaiah Froneberger pitched two innings of relief, allowing a run on two hits and two walks while striking out two. Froneberger's performance was good enough to earn him his second win of the year. Aaron Weatherford finished the game off for the Tourists, working a perfect seventh inning with a strikeout.
David Christensen delivered the big blow of the night, a three-run bomb to right field in the bottom of the third inning. The Tourists were already ahead by a count of 5-2 thanks to a two-run shot by Patrick Rose, but Christensen's blast put Asheville out of reach for good.
Relief pitcher Jonnathan Aristil started game two for the Tourists, making his third appearance of the season, all in doubleheaders. Aristil was at his best, allowing just two hits and two walks while striking ouT six in five innings of work. The Tourists offense could not solve Hickory starter, Wilmer Font, so Aristil left in a scoreless game and did not qualify for the win.
Tyler Trice came on to relieve Aristil in the sixth inning, allowing the first run of the game to score. With one out, Jared Bolden singled up the middle, and with the hit-and-run in motion, Mike Bianucci brought him home with a double to right-center. Trice would get out of the inning with no further damage.
The Tourists came up in the bottom of the sixth and got something going. Jimmy Cesario led off with a double down the right field line and Jordan Pacheco followed with a base hit up the middle, advancing Cesario to third. With runners on the corners and no outs, Tyler Massey popped out to first base. Erik Wetzel, in his first game as a Tourists, singled up the middle on the first pitch he saw, tying the game at one. After a walk and a strikeout, Carlos Martinez came up with the bases loaded and hit a ground ball to short. Edward Martinez couldn't field it cleanly and rushed the throw to first for an error, allowing another run to score. Asheville would push another run across on a wild pitch before they were through.
Kurt Yacko came on in an attempt to record his first save of the season, and did so despite allowing two hits. Yacko struck one batter out en route to his first save of the year.
After splitting the doubleheader and the series, the Tourists will head to Greensboro for a four-game set with the Grasshoppers beginning Tuesday night. The Tourists will send RHP Ethan Hollingsworth (0-1, 3.00) to the hill Tuesday night, with game one of the series beginning at 7:05 pm.
South Atlantic League Stories from April 20, 2009
- Sand Gnats win fifth straight - Savannah Sand Gnats
- Intimidators sweep twin bill against Hot Rods - Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
- Crawdads swept - Hickory Crawdads
- Legends, Power split two - Lexington Legends
- Power Snap Scoreless Streak, Split Double Header - Charleston Dirty Birds
- Sand Gnats Nip RiverDogs, 3-1 - Charleston RiverDogs
- Tourists Win Pair, Split Series - Asheville Tourists
- Drive Blank Grasshoppers for the Third Time with 2-0 Win - Greenville Drive
- Suns VS Shorebirds Rained Out - Hagerstown Suns
- Monday's BlueClaws Game Postponed - Jersey Shore BlueClaws
- Infante named South Atlantic League Pitcher of the Week - Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
- Weekly Sports League and Franchise Report - OSC Original by Dan Krieger
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