Palma's Fifth Hit Walks Tourists Off in the Ninth

ASHEVILLE- The Asheville Tourists overcame a seven-run deficit to beat the Brooklyn Cyclones in dramatic fashion on Tuesday night. Asheville scored five runs in the bottom of the ninth and stunned Brooklyn 10-9. The victory was the Tourists largest come-from-behind win this season.

Miguel Palma secured the game-winning hit with the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth inning. Asheville trailed 9-8 and Palma roped a two-run single down the left field line to win the game. Tommy Sacco Jr. and Michael Sandle both hit Home Runs earlier in the ninth to bring the Tourists to within a run.

Brooklyn plated six runs in the top of the first inning but Asheville never quit. The Tourists countered with RBI hits from Palma and Ryan Wrobleski in the bottom of the first to make the score 6-2. The Cyclones hit a two-run Home Run in the third and added another run in the top of the fifth that built their lead to 9-2.

Asheville clawed their way back little by little. Zach Cole scored from third on a wild pitch in the bottom of the fifth; Wrobleski was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the sixth; and Palma plated Tyler Whitaker with an RBI groundout in the eighth.

Palma became the first Tourists player with five hits in a game since Colin Barber and Luis Santana both recorded five-hit games on June 30, 2022. The Asheville catcher went 5-for-6 with four RBI. Kobe Kato has two hits and Cole reached base four times in the win.

Nic Swanson also set a Tourists first with his 5.2 innings pitched out of the bullpen. It was the longest outing by an Asheville reliever this season. Brayan De Paula picked up the win with 1.1 scoreless innings pitched.

Former Tourists star and current Cyclone Ryan Clifford was given a standing ovation by Asheville fans in his first plate appearance. Clifford went 1-for-4 with a walk.