Late Meltdown Leads to Extra-Inning Loss

WINSTON-SALEM- The Asheville Tourists fell apart late Sunday afternoon and it cost them an opportunity to win their second straight series. The Winston-Salem Dash erased an 8-2 lead that Asheville carried into the bottom of the eighth inning. The Dash then overcame a two-run deficit in the tenth to hand the Tourists an 11-10 defeat.

Asheville was dominant across the first seven innings. The Tourists received Home Runs from JC Correa, Zach Daniels, and C.J. Stubbs. Chad Stevens hit a two-run single and Nerio Rodriguez drove in a run as well.

On the mound, Aaron Brown dealt five great innings. Brown allowed two runs in the bottom of the first but he bounced back with four shutout innings afterward. Jacob Coats then came into the game and pitched two perfect innings.

In the bottom of the eighth, Palmer Wenzel took the mound for the Tourists and immediately ran into trouble. Wenzel surrendered five runs while only recording one out. Danny Cody came in to clean up the mess and did a great job keeping the Tourists in front.

A solo Home Run in the bottom of the ninth forced extra innings; however, Asheville’s offense delivered with two runs in the top of the tenth. Stevens hit another RBI single and Daniels scored on a wild pitch. In the bottom of the tenth, Jose Betances had no answer for the Dash offense. Betances faced six Dash hitters. He surrendered four hits, including a walk off RBI single to Oscar Colas, and hit two batters.

Asheville has now lost three games this season when holding a six-run lead. The Tourists will attempt to bounce back on Tuesday when the Greensboro Grasshoppers visit McCormick Field.