A Good Show

Last night's baseball game between the Augusta Greenjackets and the Asheville Tourists was a really good game and featured some of baseball classic matchups. The Tourists were down 4-3 going into the bottom of the ninth inning and put two on base with two outs. The Tourists got the matchup they wanted. It was Greenjackets closer and power pitcher Tyler Mizenko versus Tourists slugger Francisco Sosa who had already hit his 20th homerun over the rightfield wall in the 6th inning. I don't think that Mizenk really wanted to give him anything good to hit so he nipped around the plate and ended up walking him on a 3-2 count. Sosa showed great patience and did not bite on the 3-2 pitch that was low and outside. That brought up clean up man David Bergin with the bases loaded and two out. He grounded a ball in between third and shortstop that Greenjackets Third Baseman Mitchell Delfino really had to stretch for the grounder and threw wide to First Baseman Joseph Rapp and pulled his foot off the bag. He still had the time and the where with all to reach back with his left foot and touch the bag a split second before David Bergin's foot landed on the bag. It was a close play but I had a very clear view of it from my spot in Section A, Row B, Seat 10 along the first base line and he was out by a half of a step. Tourists starter Andrew Brown absorbed his first loss of the year (7-1), giving up 4 runs in 7 innings, with the big blow being a three run homer by Right fielder Charles Jones in the fourth inning. Reliever Shane Broyles came on to pitch shutout baseball over the final two innings and got out of a bases loaded jam in the top of the 8th inning.

The Slump Continues

The slump continues for the Asheville Tourists in a 3-2 loss to the Augusta Greenjackets yesterday. 7 hits and 2 runs. A return trip to McCormick field on the 25th will hopefully help snap the slump. They wasted another good starting performance, this time by Matt Flemer (6 innings, 2 earned runs) who fell to 1-2 on the season. Francisco Sosa had the lone RBI, his 64th, for the Tourists.

Let's Play Two

Ernie Banks was famous for saying "Let's play two..." meaning baseball is such a great game, let's play a doubleheader. That should be the Asheville Tourists battle cry this season as they have played several due to all of the rain outs. They swept a doubleheader from Delmarva yesterday 3-2 and 5-2. Stellar pitching was the key for the Tourists in both games. The first game was a continuation of the game that was started the night before and Ryan Arrowood came on in relief and pitched the middle four innings,giving up 1 run, for his fifth victory against zero losses on the season. Rayan Gonzalez lasted through a shaky ninth, where he walked the bases loaded, to get his 7th save. In the second game, starter Ben Hughes pitched a seven inning complete game, giving up 2 runs, 1 earned, struck out 3 and didn't issue a walk. Hughes evened his record at 7-7. The complete game was important as it saved the bullpen for another day. They have been battered and knocked around a little bit. The Tourists were led at the plate by First Baseman Ben Waldrip, playing his first game as an Asheville Tourist, who hit his first homerun and drove in three and Francisco Sosa hit his 12th homerun and accounted for the other two runs.

The Bats Come Back To Life

There is something about coming home to McCormick Field that bring the Tourists bats back to life. An eight run 6th inning pushed the Tourists to a 13-6 win over the Delmarva Shorebirds and it was highlighted by First Baseman Matt Argyropoulos bases clearing double. Rosell Herrera, Francisco Sosa, and Julian Yan all drove in two runs a piece and Yan hit his 5th homerun. Reliever Andrew Brown (5-0) was the beneficiary of the big inning as he came on in the top of the sixth and threw two innings of one hit baseball, striking out two. The Tourists had 11 hits, drew 5 walks, and were aided by two Shorebirds errors to score their 13 runs. Tourists starter Matt Flemer had a tough outing giving up 5 runs in 5 innings but the relievers- Brown, Trent Blank, and Rayan Gonzalez- only gave up 1 run in 4 innings.

A McCormick Field Game

Last night's Kannapolis Intimidators 13-12 win over the Asheville Tourists was the type of high scoring, close game that I have come to know and love at McCormick Field. Its much better if the Tourists win but it was still a real good game. The Tourists had three homeruns (Tom Murphy, Francisco Sosa 2) and scored 12 runs on 11 hits and 9 bases on balls. The Tourists were only 2 for 11 with runners in scoring position and left 9 on base. They left a lot of opportunities on the field. The game also featured Tourists manager Fred Ocasio getting ejected in the 8th inning. They have two more games with the Intimidators and then the Greenville Drive come in for three.

Tourists Power Surge Against West Virginia

The Asheville Tourists broke out the bats against the West Virginia Power last night in a 15-6 win. The Tourists hit four homeruns, two by second baseman Matt Wessinger and one each by Rosell Herrera and Francisco Sosa, and had 18 hits. Asheville Tourists starter T.J. Oakes couldn't get out of the fourth inning (3 1/3 IP, 5 runs, 3 earned, 1 K and 4 walks) but the Tourists bullpen picked him up with 5 2/3 innings of 1 run relief pitching. Reliever Ryan Arrowood got the win with 3 2/3 innings of 1 run relief, striking out 5, and Jesse Meaux and Brook Hart pitched one scoreless inning a piece.