Tourists Lose Close One After Greensboro Walk-Off Homer

GREENSBORO– The Asheville Tourists kicked off their series against the Greensboro Grasshoppers in a back-and-forth game where they fell just short 7-5. The Grasshoppers Centerfielder, Matthew Frazier, sealed the game in the bottom of the ninth with a Home Run to right field.

After a one-two-three start to the game on offense, the Tourists found themselves in a hole in the bottom of the first. Nick Gonzales hit a Solo Shot off of the Tourists’ starting Right-Hander, R.J. Freure.

Asheville was not willing to give up. In the top of the second, Enmanuel Valdez and C.J. Stubbs worked back-to-back walks. Second Baseman Freudis Nova pulled through with a key RBI liner to left where he advanced to second on the throw home. The close play at the plate resulted in a great slide by Valdez to tie the game up at one apiece. With both runners in scoring position, Deury Carrasco’s groundout brought another run home to give Asheville the lead 2-1. Unfortunately, that was all Asheville would score after Nova was called out at the plate on a groundball to short, and an inning-ending pop out to the third baseman ended the threat.

A leadoff Home Run in the second, leadoff triple in the third, followed by a wild pitch, put Greensboro back in front 3-2. Freure finished the second by striking out the side and continued with two more scoreless innings. R.J recorded a total of eight strikeouts on the night before he was relieved in the sixth by Mark Moclair.

The top of the seventh saw a lot of action for the offense as Carrasco belted a two-out double to right followed by an RBI single to left by Shay Whitcomb. Zach Biermannthen kept the hits rolling as he lined a base hit into center to put runners at first and second. Wilyer Abreu made it four consecutive hits with a long single off the right field wall to give Asheville a 4-3 lead.

After a leadoff walk by Moclair in the seventh, the Grasshoppers Matthew Frazier hit a two-run Homer to put Greensboro back on top 5-4. This was the fourth lead change of the game.

In the top of the ninth down one, the first two Tourists hitters both struck out. Biermann stepped in the box as Asheville last hope and Zach kept the game alive for Asheville with an equalizing blast over the centerfield wall to tie the game 5-5. Chandler Casey relieved Moclair in the bottom of the ninth where he forfeited a leadoff walk and Home Run that sealed the Tourists’ fate. Asheville fell 7-5 in a tight battle to the end.

The Tourists continue their road series in an early one against the Greensboro Grasshoppers with first pitch slated to be at 12:00pm on Wednesday.