Emperors Hang On to Beat Tourists 14-11

ASHEVILLE- The Asheville Tourists lost a tough one to the Rome Emperors Friday night, 14-11. Asheville built an early 2-0 lead before Rome scored 12 straight runs to blow the game open. The Tourists then rallied for nine runs over the final three innings but ultimately fell short.

Cam Fisher put the home team in front 1-0 with a leadoff Home Run in the second inning. Tyler Whitaker increased the lead to 2-0 with an RBI double in the third. Rome responded with a leadoff Homer in the fourth, then plated three more runs all with two outs to take a 4-2 lead.

The Emperors pulled away in the fifth. Rome scored six runs off Tourists reliever Carlos Calderon and added an additional run in the sixth and seventh frames respectively. Garret Guillemette hit an RBI double and Fisher plated two more in a three-run seventh for the Tourists; however, the Emperors tacked on two more runs in the eighth.

Logan Cerny’s solo Home Run in the bottom of the eighth brought Asheville back within eight at 14-6. The Tourists went to work in the bottom of the ninth. Collin Price worked a bases-loaded walk; Narbe Cruz hit an RBI infield single; and Austin Deming clubbed a two-run double. In the end, the ten-run deficit was too much to overcome.

The series is now knotted up at two games apiece. Game Five is slated for Saturday night at 6:05pm ET.