Rally in the Ninth, Grand Slam in the Tenth, T's Win Third Straight

GREENVILLE- The Asheville Tourists are developing a gritty, no-quit reputation early in the year. Asheville rallied in impressive fashion in the ninth inning to force extras and used a Nerio Rodriguez Grand Slam in the top of the tenth to defeat the Greenville Drive 8-5 in extras.

The Tourists trailed 4-3 with two outs and the bases empty in the ninth inning. Tommy Sacco Jr., Kenedy Corona, and Drew Gilbert all singled to extend the game as Gilbert’s base hit scored the tying run. In the tenth, Asheville loaded the bases with no outs. Back-to-back strikeouts made the threat look bleak; however, Rodriguez crushed a two-out Grand Slam over the centerfield wall to give the Tourists an 8-4 lead.

Asheville took an early 2-0 advantage in the first inning on Jacob Melton’s first Home Run of the season; a two-run shot to right. Greenville rallied to score three runs in the third to take the lead 3-2. Zach Dezenzo and Rodriguez hit back-to-back doubles in the fifth to tie the game 3-3. The Drive then went ahead 4-3 with a run in the seventh.

Alex Santos II, Ronny Garcia, Miguel Ullola, and Max Roberts combined to limit Greenville’s offense to seven hits across ten innings. Ullola pitched much better in his second outing of the season and Roberts earned the win to go along with his save from Thursday night.

The Tourists will attempt to win the series outright with Sunday’s series finale scheduled for 3:05pm ET.