After dropping five consecutive one-run games, Asheville refused to let Lexington make things close in the series opener. The Tourists pulled out a convincing 7-0 rain-shortened win.
Erick Julio led the way by keeping the Legends scoreless for 6.1 innings. The right-hander never allowed more than one Legends base-runner reach base in a single inning and recorded five strikeouts en route to his fifth win of the year. Rico Garcia polished off the shutout with a scoreless inning out of the bullpen.
Offensively, the Tourists pounded out seven runs on 12 hits. Seven of their 12 hits went for extra-bases. Max George hit a solo Home Run in the third to begin the scoring. Bobby Wernes scored on a wild pitch in the fourth and Taylor Snyder added an RBI double.
Asheville added three more runs in the fifth. Joel Diaz ripped a two-run double to right-center and the Tourists plated one more on a Legends error. Willie Abreu led off the seventh inning with a Home Run for good measure.
Abreu finished 4-for-4 and recorded his 32nd stolen base of the season. Diaz went 3-for-4 with two doubles, two runs scored, and two RBI. Wernes also added a pair of doubles and two runs scored to the hit parade.
The rain began to fall with the Legends batting in the top of the eighth. After the downpour the umpires called the game due to sloppy conditions.
(Written by Doug Maurer of the Asheville Tourists.)