Sluggish Start Costs Tourists; Sand Gnats Even Series

SAVANNAH, GA-- Friday night in Savannah was not one of the Asheville Tourists finer performances this season. Leading the Southern division championship series one game to none, a win for the Tourists would have sent them to the SAL championship. That win would not come. Savannah plated seven first inning runs and defeated Asheville 9-2 to even up the series.

In the top of the first, Forrest Wall legged out an infield single when Luis Guillorme's throw skipped past first-baseman Tyler Moore. Wall, who ran through the bag, began walking back towards first to prepare for the next at-bat. The Sand Gnats picked up the baseball and tagged Wall on his way back to the bag. Wall was called out for "having broken towards second base." The call sent Tourists manager Warren Schaeffer into an outrage and set the tone for a rough evening.

Savannah came to the plate in the bottom of the first to face Carlos Polanco. Asheville's right-hander allowed five hits, two walks, and seven runs. Polanco was pulled from the game before the inning came to an end. In Polanco's defense, the Tourists misjudged multiple fly balls in the outfield that the Sand Gnats took full advantage of. JC Rodriguez and Jonathan Johnson both had three-run doubles in the frame.

After Savannah added one more in the second, the Tourists pitching settled in. Unfortunately, Ricky Knapp kept Asheville's offense off the scoreboard for the first five innings. In the sixth, Forrest Wall drove in Yonathan Daza with a sacrifice fly. The next inning, Josh Fuentes singled home Roberto Ramos.

The deficit was too much to overcome. The Sand Gnats added one more in the eighth and retired the Tourists in order in the top of the ninth.

Game three will take place on Saturday night in Savannah with the first pitch slated for 6:05pm. The winner of Saturday's game between the Tourists and the Sand Gnats will move on to the championship series while the loser's season will come to an end.