ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — The Asheville Tourists closed out a homestand against Greensboro this weekend with a failed comeback, sending the city’s minor league team to its fifth straight loss.
After trailing 6-0 in the top of the seventh inning Sunday, the Asheville Tourists made a mammoth comeback to tie the game against the Greensboro Grasshoppers, only to give up the lead in the ninth and fall 7-6 at McCormick Field.
The Tourists had two outs and runners on the corners in the eighth inning when a new Grasshoppers reliever entered the game. On the first pitch of his at-bat, Will Bush launched a three-run homer over the right-center field wall to tie the game at 6.
IBut Greensboro’s offense answered quickly in the top of the ninth when Colby Langford (3-3) gave up a go-ahead solo home run to Omar Alfonso — the only batter the left-hander failed to retire over two innings.
Kenni Gomez and Lucas Spence also turned in strong performances at the plate for Asheville. Gomez went 4-for-4 and scored twice. Spence extended his hitting streak to 10 games with a single to right field in the seventh.
The Tourists hit the road for Georgia as they begin a six-game series on Tuesday against the Rome Emperors. The first pitch is set for 7 p.m.
Saturday
While the arms were dominant for the Asheville Tourists on Saturday night at McCormick Field, the Greensboro Grasshoppers were a blade better as they secured a 2-1 victory.
Anderson Brito was tabbed with the start and threw his longest outing of the year. The righty went six innings, allowing just one run while striking out five. He gave up a leadoff homer to begin the night but immediately settled in and finished with 71 pitches.
The Tourists evened the score, tagging the Grasshoppers in the home half of the first. Joseph Sullivan led off with a single, then later touched home on a Drew Vogel sacrifice fly.
Crickets rang throughout the stadium as neither offense scored again for the next seven innings. Deciding the game in the ninth for the third time this series, Greensboro scored a run on a fielder’s choice after loading the bases with one out. Reliever Juan Bello (1-3) tossed in three frames while striking out five, but was given the loss.
Friday
The score wasn’t the main area of attention on Friday night at McCormick Field, as the Asheville Tourists fell 10-5 to the Greensboro Grasshoppers — it was the potential brawl and later ejection.
During the middle innings, Tourists reliever Brett Gillis found himself in an argument with someone from the Grasshoppers. It didn’t take long for the managers to get involved, as the benches and bullpens cleared. The event did not end physically, but both sides ended the scuffle on edge.
Later in the game, on a separate note, Will Bush was ejected from the contest after arguing balls and strikes, which sent Asheville’s largest crowd of the year, 3,711 fans, into a frenzy.
Inside the lines, both offenses started hot. The Grasshoppers plated four in the first to open the game. Kenni Gomez answered in the home half of the inning with a three-run blast.
Greensboro went on to outscore Asheville six to two throughout the rest of the night. Lucas Spence delivered a final highlight with a solo homer in the eighth inning.
On the mound, Alain Pena (L, 2-5) made it through just one inning as the starter, allowing four runs on three hits and two walks. The final two arms, Gillis and Railin Perez, allowed two runs in a combined six and one-third innings, racking up 12 strikeouts.