Grand Slam in Extras Beats the Tourists

BOWLING GREEN- The Asheville Tourists lost for the fifth time in six games after dropping another close one to the Bowling Green Hot Rods. Saturday’s contest went to extra innings tied 3-3. In the bottom of the 11th, the home team connected with a walk-off Grand Slam to send the Tourists to a 7-3 defeat.

The Hot Rods scored the game’s first run in the bottom of the first inning. Asheville countered with two runs in the top of the third on a Cody Orr RBI double and an Enmanuel Valdez sacrifice fly. Bowling Green responded with a two-run Home Run in the bottom of the third to jump back in front by a run.

The Tourists managed to tie the game with a run in the top of the sixth. Alex McKenna was hit by a pitch and later scored from second base on a two-out RBI single from Scott Schreiber. Orr and Schreiber’s RBI hits were the only hits Asheville recorded in the game.

Devin Conn and Yeremi Ceballos did an excellent job navigating through the bottom of the tenth frame after the Tourists failed to score in the top half. Asheville once again went quietly in the top of the 11th and the Hot Rods took advantage. Greg Jones hit a two-out, walk-off Grand Slam to left.

Strikeouts were once again a theme for both offenses. Asheville’s hitters struck out a season-high 19 times which accounted for 56% of their total plate appearances. On the other hand, the Tourists pitchers struck out a total of 17 Bowling Green hitters, led by Jose Alberto Rivera’s seven in 3.2 innings of work.

Asheville will attempt to finish out the series with a victory on Sunday afternoon ahead of Monday’s league-wide scheduled off day.