Jimenez Tosses Seven Strong in Tourists Victory

LAKEWOOD- The Asheville Tourists won for the fifth time over their last six games with a 9-3 victory over the Jersey Shore BlueClaws on Friday night. Asheville’s starting pitcher, Alfredi Jimenez, matched a career-high with seven innings pitched and, in the process, became the first Tourists pitcher to cover seven innings in a start this season.

Jimenez had plenty of run support thanks to C.J. Stubbs’ career high-five runs batted in. Stubbs hit a three-run Home Run in the top of the fourth inning to erase a 1-0 deficit. Asheville’s backstop added a two-run double in the sixth inning that also featured a Luis Santana RBI single and a Justin Dirden sacrifice fly.

Luke Berryhill scored a run for the Tourists in the top of the eighth, his third run of the game, on a BlueClaws wild pitch. In the top of the ninth, Yainer Diaz made it a trifecta. Diaz hit a solo Home Run and has now homered in each of his first three games with Asheville since his promotion at the beginning of the week.

Freylin Garcia relieved Jimenez in the eighth inning and threw a pair of scoreless frames to finish out the win. JC Correa added two hits to the offensive output from the top of the order and scored a pair of runs. The Tourists outhit the BlueClaws eight to six to make it 11 straight games Asheville has outhit their opponents.

The series continues on Saturday night where a win for the Tourists would clinch their first road series win of the season.