Sandle Strikes for Two Homers in 9-6 Tourists Win

ASHEVILLE- The Asheville Tourists earned their series split with the Wilmington Blue Rocks on Sunday afternoon with a 9-6 triumph at McCormick Field. Asheville jumped out to a big lead and held on late for the win.

The two teams exchanged runs early in the game before Michael Sandle crushed a two-run Home Run to left field in the bottom of the second. Sandle added another two-run Homer in the third inning right after Tommy Sacoo Jr. connected with an RBI single.

The Tourists increased their lead to 8-1 in the fourth thanks to back-to-back RBI hits from Miguel Palma and Ryan Wrobleski. Later in the inning, Palma was hurt attempting to score on a flyout to centerfield and had to leave the game.

Wilmington had no answer for Asheville’s Deylen Miley. The right-handed pitcher worked five innings and struck out six. It was Miley’s second win of the season. Valente Bellozo pitched the final four innings to record a save; however, it was a rocky outing for the Tourists reliever.

The Blue Rocks plated two runs in the sixth, two in the seventh, and one more in the eighth. Bellozo did pitch a scoreless ninth to close out the game and Sacco’s late solo Home Run helped keep the lead with Asheville.

Sacco finished 3-for-3 while Sandle and Wrobleski each had two hits. Logan Cerny reached base four times and scored twice in the victory.