Tourists Unable to Capitalize Early, Fall 4-2 in Game Four

GREENSBORO – The Asheville Tourists fell victim to the Greensboro Grasshoppers 4-2 in Friday night’s duel. The offense collected seven hits yet were only able to plate two runs over the course of the evening.

Asheville started off strong in the first inning by loading the bases with a Wilyer Abreu walk, Matthew Barefoot hit-by-pitch, and Enmanuel Valdez walk, despite one out. Unfortunately, back-to-back strikeouts stopped the momentum for the Tourists.

The Tourists came back in the second loading the bases once again. Alex Holderbach kicked Asheville back into gear with a one-out single to right. Deury Carrasco followed with a two-out walk along with Abreu drawing his second consecutive walk. The Grasshoppers got out of the jam after a groundout to the third baseman.

In the top of the third, RHP Danny Cody forfeited the first run of the game via a Lolo Sanchez solo home run. Cody bounced back when he struck out the side, totaling six strikeouts through three innings of work. The home run was the only hit he gave up in his first four innings.

Greensboro added on insurance runs after back-to-back solo home runs to start the fifth inning. Cody proceeded to strike out the next two batters, bringing his total to eight for the evening. He got himself out of a jam by finishing the night with a respectable five innings pitched, three hits, three earned runs, and eight strikeouts.

Asheville rebounded in the top of the sixth with a Cesar Salazar broken bat single and Holderbach 2 RBI dinger to bring the lead within one. These would be the last hits of the night for the Tourists until a Matthew Barefoot two-out single down the third base line in the top of the ninth.

Greensboro earned their final run of the night in the bottom of the sixth after a walk and broken bat double where the runner, centerfielder Matt Gorski, was eventually caught trying to take third to end the inning.

The Tourists will try to take game five of the series on Saturday against the Greensboro Grasshoppers with first pitch slated at 6:30pm EST.