Bullpen Brings the Heat in Tourists Defeat
NORTH AUGUSTA- The Asheville Tourists dropped another very close contest on Tuesday night falling to the Augusta GreenJackets 4-2. Asheville was sloppy defensively early and it cost them. Augusta used the miscues to build a 4-0 lead and the Tourists were unable to climb all the way out of the
NORTH AUGUSTA- The Asheville Tourists dropped another very close contest on Tuesday night falling to the Augusta GreenJackets 4-2. Asheville was sloppy defensively early and it cost them. Augusta used the miscues to build a 4-0 lead and the Tourists were unable to climb all the way out of the hole.
The GreenJackets plated three of their four runs in the bottom of the first inning. All three runs were unearned thanks to a pair of Tourists throwing errors. Augusta used a two-out RBI double in the second inning to make it 4-0.
Asheville plated their first run of the game in the top of the third. Javier Guevara singled, took second on a bunt, third on a wild pitch, and scored on a passed ball. Their second run came in the sixth thanks to an RBI fielder's choice from Grant Lavigne .
The Tourists ran into crucial outs on the base paths in both the fourth and fifth innings. They not only killed potential rallies, but it allowed Augusta to manage their pitching staff when pitch count was a pressing issue for the home team. The GreenJackets received four innings from their starter, three from their first reliever, and two from their closer.
Asheville's bullpen was a major bright spot. Derrik Watson , Boby Johnson , and PJ Poulin combined to pitch 5.1 frames. The trio allowed a total of no runs on one hit and struck out ten. They kept Asheville in the game the whole night. Unfortunately, the Tourists only managed four hits in the game; none of which came in the final three innings.
The series with Augusta concludes on Wednesday night where Asheville will attempt to avoid being swept. The Tourists have dropped six of their nine meetings with the GreenJackets this season.