BlueClaws Bounce Back Against Tourists

LAKEWOOD- Asheville’s inconsistent defense reared its head again on Thursday night in Lakewood, New Jersey. The Tourists committed a crucial error in the bottom of the fourth inning that opened the floodgates for the Jersey Shore BlueClaws to take a 4-0 lead. The home team went on to hand Asheville a 7-1 loss.

With the game scoreless entering the bottom of the fourth, Jersey Shore had a runner at first with one out. Tourists starting pitcher Cesar Gomez, who worked out of a major jam in the first inning, felt he had done enough to end the frame by inducing a groundball off the bat of D.J. Stewart. The baseball was hit right at Asheville’s third-baseman.

Instead of turning an inning-ending double-play, the baseball was misplayed and no outs were recorded. Gomez was forced to throw a number of additional pitches in the inning and the BlueClaws pounded out hit after hit to make the Tourists pay.

Asheville responded with their lone run in the top of the fifth inning. Luis Santana led off the frame with a single to left, stole second base, and later scored on a Sacrifice Fly from Jordan Brewer. Aside from Santana’s single, the Tourists were held to four additional hits in the game; two from Nerio Rodriguez and two from Will Wagner.

Jersey Shore plated a run in each of their final three innings on offense to put the game out of reach. The BlueClaws now lead the series two games to one with Game Four scheduled for Friday at 6:35pm.