With the Asheville Tourists trailing by one run with two outs and the bases loaded in the top of the ninth inning, Drew Weeks stepped to the plate determined to extend the game.
The outfielder did exactly that. Weeks ripped a two-run double down the left field line to send Asheville to a 5-4 victory over the Greenville Drive.
The Drive plated a run in each of the first two innings but on both occasions had chances to plate more. In the top of the fourth Asheville’s Shane Hoelscher knotted the game 2-2 with a two-run single to second. Rafael Devers’ two-run Home Run in the fifth put Greenville back in front 4-2.
The Tourists loaded the bases with one out in the seventh but came away empty-handed. In the eighth, Hoelscher clubbed a solo Home Run to left to bring Asheville within one.
Still staring at the one-run deficit entering the ninth Yonathan Daza led off the inning with a single. A strikeout followed by back-to-back walks loaded the bases. Luis Jean grounded into a fielder’s choice where Daza was forced out at home but Weeks’ double proved to be the difference.
In the bottom of the ninth the Drive put two runners aboard on a hit and an error but Josh Michalec induced a fly-out off the bat of Danny Bethea to end the game.
Yoely Bello, Jerad McCrummen, and Josh Michalec combined to toss five shutouts innings out of Asheville’s bullpen. The Tourists wrap up their road trip on Monday evening with a 7:05pm game against the Drive.
(Article written by Doug Maurer of the Asheville Tourists.)