Grand Slam, Mother Nature Help End Skid

GREENSBORO- The Asheville Tourists took care of business on Friday night with a 6-5 victory over the Greensboro Grasshoppers in a rain-shortened game. Asheville was at the plate in the top of the seventh with two runners aboard when mother nature forced the tarp onto the field and an early finish to the evening.

Michael Sandle gave the Tourists a 4-0 lead in the top of the third inning when he came to the plate with the bases loaded. Sandle worked the count before going to the opposite field for his fourth Home Run in his last four games.

Ernesto Jaquez kept Greensboro’s potent offense off balance with four shutout frames; however, Jaquez tired in the fifth and the Grasshoppers took advantage. Asheville allowed only one hit in the inning, a single. Multiple walks, an error, and a hit by pitch allowed the home team to tie the game 4-4.

In the top of the sixth, Zach Daniels raced around the bases from first on a JC Correa single into right field. Later in the inning, Deury Carrasco doubled home Chad Stevens to give the Tourists a 6-4 advantage.

Greensboro used a solo Home Run in the bottom of the sixth to pull within one. Kyle Gruller came on and closed the door with a pair of strikeouts that forced the Grasshoppers to leave the bases loaded.

The Tourists will attempt to make it two wins in a row with the next contest scheduled for 6:30pm ET on Saturday.