The Asheville Tourists split a double-header on Monday evening with the Charleston RiverDogs. Asheville won the first game 6-1 before being shutout in game two 1-0.
In splitting the double header, the Tourists jumped a half-game ahead of the Greenville Drive in the wildcard standings with only seven games remaining.
The Tourists plated at least one run in five of the seven innings in the first game. Shane Hoelscher hit a pair of RBI doubles, Yonathan Daza had a pair of RBI singles, Roberto Ramos worked a bases loaded walk, and Luis Jean recorded an RBI groundout.
Sam Howard went six innings and picked up the win. Howard’s only blemish was a third inning sacrifice fly. The left-hander struck out six and allowed only four hits. Jerad McCrummen finished off Charleston with a one, two, three seventh inning.
In game two, Asheville’s Helmis Rodriguez and Charleston’s Justin Kamplain each dominated. Rodriguez worked out of some early jams, but Isaias Tejeda’s two-out RBI single in the third put the home team in front.
After Kamplain scattered hits through the first five innings, Forrest Wall tripled with one out in the sixth. Wall was thrown out attempting to score on Hoelscher’s groundball to short. In the seventh, Yonathan Daza doubled with one out, went to third on a groundout, but was left there when Ryan Stephens flew out to end the game.
Rodriguez pitched a complete game despite suffering the loss. Asheville and Charleston are back in action on Tuesday night with the first pitch scheduled for 7:05 pm.
(Copy written by Doug Maurer of the Asheville Tourists.)
(Image credit: Tony Farlow of Four Seam Images via Asheville Tourists.)