This Asheville Tourists team did it again on Saturday night. They found a new way to win and it came in a come-from-behind effort.
This was Asheville’s 26th come-from-behind win this year, but it was the first when the Tourists faced at least a four-run deficit. The way they won made it even more sweet. Willie MacIver blasted a walk-off two-run home run in the bottom of the ninth for a 6-5 victory.
The Charleston RiverDogs came out swinging. Charleston scored four runs in the top of the first inning on five hits. Kyle Datres , who was honored pregame for his SAL Player of the Week award, hit a two-out solo home run in the bottom of the first to put the Tourists on the board.
The RiverDogs added a solo home run of their own in the top of the second to kick their lead back out to 5-1. Asheville starting pitcher, Jake Bird, really settled in after the rocky start. Bird did not allow another run and pitched well into the sixth inning.
Asheville netted a run in the bottom of the second on a Danny Edgeworth two-out RBI single to left field. That made the score 5-2 and it stayed at a three-run deficit until the bottom of the sixth. Daniel Montano then came to the plate with a runner aboard and hit a two-run home run over the right field wall.
Trailing by one, the Tourists loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the seventh. Asheville was unable to capitalize on the opportunity and stranded a pair of runners in the eighth as well.
In the bottom of the ninth, Grant Lavigne connected with a one-out double to left. MacIver came to the plate and worked a 2-0 count with Lavigne taking third on a ball in the dirt. The next pitch to Willie was crushed over the centerfield wall for Asheville’s ninth walk-off win of the season. MacIver finished 3-for-5 in the game. Edgewroth also had a three-hit night.
Derrik Watson and Reagan Todd combined to pitch the final 3.1 innings and held the RiverDogs scoreless.
Visit the Asheville Tourists website for additional information.
Written by Doug Maurer / Asheville Tourists.