Tokar Turns in Solid Start in Close Loss

ASHEVILLE- The Asheville Tourists were unable to hold a 4-1 lead on Friday night and fell to the Winston-Salem Dash by a final score of 6-5. Asheville had a few close calls go against them and Winston-Salem’s two-out hitting was a big reason for the Game Four result.

Heitor Tokar battled through the top of the first inning for the Tourists but the Dash struck on a two-out RBI double to take a 1-0 lead. Tokar settled in following the frame and went on to pitch four consecutive shutout innings. It was Tokar’s best outing of the season.

Asheville’s offense went to work in the middle of the game with two runs in the bottom of the fourth. Zach Daniels plated a run with a Sacrifice Fly to left and Cristian Gonzalez gave the Tourists the lead with an RBI double.

The Tourists added two more runs in the bottom of the fifth. JC Correa scored on a wild pitch and Chad Stevens crossed the plate on a Michael Sandle Fielder’s Choice. Earlier in Sandle’s at-bat, he appeared to hit a two-run double off the right field wall; however, it was ruled a foul ball after discussion. Replays showed the ball was fair.

The Dash then plated the game’s next five runs; one in the sixth, three in the seventh, and a crucial insurance run in the ninth. Trailing by two, Asheville’s Nerio Rodriguez led off the bottom of the ninth with a Home Run to centerfield. Stevens reached base with a one-out single but the Tourists were unable to tie the game.

Asheville will attempt to bounce back on Saturday with Game Five of the series scheduled for 6:05pm ET.