Tourists Suffer Crushing Loss to Emperors in Extra Innings

ROME- The Asheville Tourists’ extra-inning struggles continued Wednesday night with their fifth consecutive post nine-inning loss. Asheville has not scored their automatic runner from second base in a single inning in any of those five games — eight total innings. The Rome Emperors took advantage and scored their automatic runner on the first pitch of the bottom of the tenth to secure the come-from-behind walk-off win.

The resolution has been to avoid extras and Asheville was one out away in the bottom of the ninth from doing that. Prior to Wednesday, Asheville was 33-1 when leading after eight innings. On this occasion the Tourists led 5-2 heading into the ninth.

Unfortunately, a triple, a Sac Fly, then a pair of two-out walks followed by a game-tying double tied the game and the Tourists fell 6-5 in ten innings. Asheville’s pitching staff, while very effective throughout most of the game, issued a season-high nine walks.

Narbe Cruz and Luis Encarnacion led the Tourists offense with a pair of multi-hit efforts. Encarnacion’s three-run Homer in the top of the sixth that broke a 2-2 tie looked like it would be the game-winner.

Layne Henderson and Jeremy Molero helped keep the lead up until the ninth with 3.2 scoreless innings pitched in relief of the starter Derek True.