Hoppers Steal Homer from Tourists; Hand Asheville 5-3 Loss

GREENSBORO- The Asheville Tourists continued their ninth inning fight on Saturday; however, Jacob Melton’s Home Run bid to put the Tourists in front was robbed at the wall. Asheville dropped their fifth straight to Greensboro, 5-3, thanks to the Jase Bowen catch to end the game.

Luis Angel Rodriguez made his Tourists debut and the left-hander was brilliant in on the mound. Rodriguez’s four innings was the latest chapter in Asheville’s impressive starting pitching all week. The southpaw struck out seven, allowed only two hits, and limited Greensboro to one run.

Tommy Sacco Jr. and Tim Borden II gave Asheville a 2-0 lead with back-to-back RBI doubles in the fourth. Zach Cole clubbed a solo Home Run in the fifth and the Tourists led 3-0. The Grasshoppers scored one in the bottom of the fifth and then four more in the seventh to take a 5-3 lead.

Asheville put two on in the ninth with hits from Borden II and John Garcia. Melton stepped to the plate with two outs and appeared to put the Tourists back in front. His blast to deep centerfield was brought back from over the wall to end the game.

Borden II went 4-for-4 with two doubles and Garcia finished 2-for-4. Deylen Miley struck out seven in his four innings of work out of the bullpen.