Missed Chances Haunt Tourists in One-Run Loss

ASHEVILLE- For the second straight night the Asheville Tourists were on the losing side of a game where their offense pounded out 14 hits. The issue on Saturday was that only one of those hits came with a runner in scoring position (1-for-12) and the Tourists put a runner in scoring position in eight of the nine innings. Give Asheville credit in their 6-5 loss to the Rome Braves because they nearly overcame a five-run deficit.

Rome built their advantage with a run in the first inning and four more in the fourth. A costly error allowed the Braves to extend the fourth inning and the visitors plated all four of their runs in an unearned capacity.

Asheville responded in the bottom of the fourth inning with a pair of Home Runs. Joey Loperfido hit a solo shot to lead off the frame and Justin Williams connected with a three-run bomb to bring the Tourists within one.

The Braves pushed one across in the fifth with a Sacrifice Fly and Asheville’s Chad Stevens plated Zach Daniels with an RBI groundout in the seventh. The Tourists put two runners aboard in the eighth and Daniels hit a leadoff single in the ninth but the tying run never crossed the plate.

Daniels, Loperfido, Williams, Kenedy Corona, and Luis Guerrero all finished the game with two hits and the other four starters each had one. Aaron Brown pitched four scoreless innings out of the bullpen down the stretch to keep the Tourists within striking distance.

Rhett Kouba was saddled with only his second loss of the season despite limiting the Braves to just two earned runs. The Tourists have outhit the Braves in every game this week; however, they have dropped three of the five meetings between the two teams.

Tourists Game Recaps are presented by Jackson Electrical Contractors, Inc