Clifford Slams Tourists Back in the Win Column

ASHEVILLE- The Asheville Tourists snapped their nine-game losing streak with an impressive 7-5 win over the Greenville Drive on Saturday night. Asheville trailed 3-1 before the offense plated six runs in the sixth inning and the pitching held on for the win. Ryan Clifford’s Grand Slam was the back-breaker for Greenville.

The Drive built a 2-0 lead with runs in the first and third innings. Asheville’s starting pitcher, Joey Mancini, did well in his first home start of the year. The Tourists offense snapped a 20 consecutive scoreless inning streak when Michael Sandle drove in Tim Borden II with a single in the fourth inning.

Greenville answered with a run in the fifth; however, the Tourists bats broke out in the sixth. Collin Price led off the frame with his sixth Home Run of the year. A few batters later, Freudis Nova tied the game with an RBI fielder’s choice. Later in the inning Clifford stepped to the plate and connected with a two-out go-ahead Grand Slam. The six-run inning matched the highest-scoring frame of the season for the Tourists.

Miguel Ullola took over on the mound and pitched the final four innings. Ullola ran into a little trouble when Greenville rallied in the eighth inning; however, the right-hander finished out the game for his second win of the season.

Price, Sandle, and Nova all finished with two hits. Max Roberts worked a scoreless inning between Mancini and Ullola’s four innings pitched.

The Tourists and Drive are back in action on Sunday afternoon with the first pitch slated for 1:05pm ET.