A Rainy Night In Asheville

I got to go see my second Asheville Tourists game of the season last night and the outcome was not what I had hoped for. The Tourists took a 5-4 lead into the top of the 6th inning on the strength of a solo homerun by Shorstop Matt Wessinger and a three run homerun by Catcher Tom Murphy in a four run third inning. Starter Shane Broyles went 5 innings and gave up 4 runs but reliever Roberto Padilla could not hold the lead. He gave up 5 runs in 2/3 of an inning, including a grand slam that cleared the right field wall with room to spare by Third Baseman Shayne Houck, and the Tourists could mount any sort of a comeback after that. The play of the night had to come with two outs and two strikes in the bottom of the ninth inning. Tourists batter Juan Ciriaco hit a dribbler down the third base line that hugged the foul line until it slowly rolled into third base and bounced gently off the third base bag. It reminds me of the time when Lenny Randle playing third base for the Seattle Mariners, got down on his hands and knees and literally blew a ball foul when it was gently rolling down the third base line. At that time, there was not a rule in place to prevent such action by a player. It rained off and on throughtout the game, nothing torrential like the home opener, and the game was never stopped. The field conditions helped contribute to four errors by Augusta and one by Asheville. There was an announced crowd of over 3,000 and it was a great atmosphere to watch a baseball game. Hopefully I can go to a few more games on this homestand.

Baseball Is My Mistress

I hate to admit it but I have pretty much ignored the Asheville Tourists this season. I have not even looked at the stats in about two months and I am a stats freak if there ever was one. I don't even know their record. All because of a woman I was dating. She was not a big baseball fan although I was able to talk her into going to opening night which was a thirsty Thursday. She was a beer fan. We are no longer together so now it is time for me to turn my attention back to my one true love- baseball. Although I am sure I am not the first to use this phrase or analogy, baseball is my mistress and the one thing I can always depend on when things go bad and they have gotten about as bad as they could possibly get. Baseball can give you the euphoric highs and heartbreaking lows of a relationship but is always a constant. Baseball is friends and family, fathers and sons, and occasionally husbands and wives, but it is consistently there for you, season after season. I am already planning on going to tomorrow nights Asheville Tourist game and I can't wait. The anticipation is killing me.

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.

Catching Up With The Tourists

It has been a while since I have had a chance to blog about the Asheville Tourists so I have some serious catching up to do. The Tourists stand at 18-13 but a recent winning streak of 11 out of 12 games has brought the Tourists to within 1 1/2 games of the first place Savannah Sand Gnats in the South Atlantic league's Southern Division. They defeated the Augusta Green Jackets last night 9-3 with a 7 run top of thee first inning and staff ace David Butler on the mound, all the Tourists had to do was hang on. Butler only allowed one hit in six innings, striking out 5 but also walking 5. He can really light up the radar gun, topping out at a reported 100 MPH, but he is alos battling a few control issues at times. He has a 3-1 record, 1.76 ERA, with 41 innings pitched, 38 K's, and 22 bases on balls. Even with all of the walks, Butler is sporting a 0.98 WHIP. Offensively the Tourists are being led by Catcher Tom Murphy. He is leading the Tourists in all of the Triple Crown categories with a .415 Batting Average, 7 Homeruns, and 23 Runs Batted In. Shortstop Rosell Herrera is not far behind with a .362 Batting Average, 6 Homeruns, and 20 Runs Batted In. The Tourists return home for another Thirsty Thursday on May 9th to take on the Kannapolis Intimidators. I was able to attend the rained out first Thirsty Thursday of the season and hopefully I can make tomorrow's game.

The Tourists Home Opener

I made it to the Asheville Tourists home opener and the first Thirsty Thursday of the season. Mother Nature had her own Thirsty Thursday in mind. It had been threatening rain most of the day and the forecasts varied as far as if and when it would rain and it rained sporadically throughout the game but nothing serious up until the top of the fifth inning. The Tourists were behind at that point 4-0 and only had one hit, a long single off the right field wall in the bottom of the fourth inning by Catcher Tom Murphy, when the skies opened up and the rain poured down. The tarp crew did their job and quickly covered the infield. It is usually a well coordinated effort and I have to wonder how much time they spend practicing this. The rain showed no sign of letting up so my party and I decided it was time to go. The crowd was pretty good in spite of the forecast and outside of the monsoon, I am glad baseball is back for another season in the sun.

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.

The Season Opener

The Asheville Tourists won their season opener on the road against the West Virginia Power last night 3-0 behind the pitching of First Round Supplemental draft pick out of Radford, Eddie Butler. He is the #6 Prospect in the Colorado Rockies organization according to Baseball America. He pitched 5 1/3 innings, allowing only one hit, struckout 7 and walked only 1. He consistently stayed in the high 90's and one pitch even hit the 100 MPH mark. Relievers Roberto Padilla (1 2/3 IP), Rayan Gonzalez (1 IP), and closer Raul Fernandez, who struck out the side in the bottom of the ninth for his first save, finished off the shutout. The Tourists were led at the plate by Catcher Tom Murphy (the #14 prospect) and Third Baseman Jason Stoltz with two hits a piece. The Tourists did strike out 12 times but it was not the best of weather conditions. Designated Hitter Kyle Von Tungeln and Rightfielder Julian Yan (the #20 prospect) drove in a run a piece. #2 Colorado Rockies prospect David Dahl, had a rough Asheville Tourists debut going 0-4 with 3 strikeouts but every hitter is going to have games like that. I am excited about the numbers he is going to put up at McCormick Field.