It took a while for the Tourists offense to come around Monday evening, but when it did Asheville nearly pulled off what would have been an exceptional comeback.
After falling in an early hole, the Tourists rallied in the bottom of the ninth but fell one run short; falling 5-4 to the Hickory Crawdads.
Tourists starting pitcher Carlos Polanco took a while to settle in. After balking in a run in the top of the first, Polanco was touched up for three runs in the second. Tripp Martin connected with a solo Home Run while three straight two-out singles plated the innings’ latter two runs. Jose Trevino added a Home Run for the Crawdads in the fifth.
Brett Martin started for the visitors and was sensational. Martin faced the minimum through five frames and limited the Tourists to just one hit; a single by Emerson Jimenez in the fourth. In the top of the sixth, Hickory loaded the bases with no outs but Asheville found a way to escape the threat. That seemed to change the momentum of the game.
On the first pitch in the bottom of the sixth, Henry Garcia went deep for his first Home Run of the season. Asheville then loaded the bases with no outs in the eighth, but this time it was the Crawdads who escaped unscathed. Tourists’ relievers Yoely Bello and Jerad McCrummen kept Hickory at bay which allowed the T’s to make it interesting in the ninth.
Dom Nunez led off the frame with a double to right. Two batters later, Garcia doubled home Nunez making it a three-run game. The next batter, Forrest Wall, drew a walk; the only walk issued in the game. With the tying run aboard and two outs, Wes Rogers singled home a pair. Rogers promptly stole second putting the tying run in scoring position. Unfortunately for the Tourists their rally ended as Jimenez struck out to end the game.
The same two teams will play a twin-bill on Tuesday with Game One slated to begin at 5:05pm.