Tourists Belt Season-High Five Home Runs to Even Series

ASHEVILLE- The Asheville Tourists blasted a single game season-high five Home Runs on Friday night in an 11-7 victory over the Bowling Green Hot Rods. Five different players went deep and the balanced Tourists offense finished the game with 15 hits.

Nic Swanson set the tone on mound early. The Asheville right-hander worked five innings and allowed one run on four hits. Swanson ran his consecutive scoreless inning streak to 14.1 before the Hot Rods pushed across a run in the fourth. The Tourists received a solo Home Run from Jackson Loftin in the third as well as an RBI single from Austin Deming in the fifth and took a 2-1 lead into the sixth inning.

The sixth was an offensive outburst from both teams. Bowling Green plated five runs in the top half and Asheville belted three Home Runs as part of a six-run frame in the bottom half. Logan Cerny, Luis Baez, and Deming all went deep. Loftin added a Sac Fly.

In the eighth, Baez scored Brice Matthews with an RBI double and John Garcia parked a two-run Home Run to right-center. The late offense was more than enough for Railin Perez who pitched the final 2.1 innings for Asheville. Perez struck out six, did not allow a run, and earned his second save of the season.

The series is now knotted up at two games apiece. Game Five is set for 6:05pm ET Saturday night at McCormick Field.