Asheville nearing top of SAL with quality win

Bats and arms complement each other to take series lead over Rome

By Kyle Chandler

April 17, 2025

ROME, GA - For the first time this year, the Asheville Tourists climbed above the .500 marker after their 5-0 win over the Rome Emperors at AdventHealth Stadium on Thursday night. The Tourists (6-5) were led by excellent pitching for the second game in a row. The staff has thrown

ROME, GA - For the first time this year, the Asheville Tourists climbed above the .500 marker after their 5-0 win over the Rome Emperors at AdventHealth Stadium on Thursday night.

The Tourists (6-5) were led by excellent pitching for the second game in a row. The staff has thrown in back-to-back shutouts, not allowing an Emperors’ (5-7) run since the eighth inning of Tuesday’s contest.

Returning to the diamond for his first appearance of the 2025 campaign, right-hander Andrew Taylor was tabbed with the start for Asheville. He pitched in a trio of quality innings, surrendering three hits and two walks with two strikeouts.

Out of the bullpen, Manuel Urias (W, 1-0) strung together his best appearance of the season. In four and one-third shutout innings, he allowed a lone baserunner on a walk with three strikeouts.

Closing the final stages of the night, Matthew Linskey and Amilcar Chirinos polished off the Emperors batting order by retiring five in a row combined.

The Tourists have given up just four hits over the last two games, and Rome only garnered one base runner after the third inning.

Opening the scoring, Cristian Gonzalez grounded into a fielder’s choice RBI in the third.

Adding three more in the fourth inning, the Tourists displayed good situational baseball.

With runners on second and third and nobody out, Cam Fisher hit a sacrifice fly, making it 2-0 while advancing the runner to third. The next batter, Tyler Whitaker, picked up an RBI on a fielder’s choice. The final run of the frame scored on a Walker Janek infield single, upping the lead to four.

Closing the scoring in the fifth, Kenni Gomez reached base on a single to center, then touched home on a throwing error later in the frame.

The bats were led by Janek, who recorded a three-for-five effort at the plate. Chase Jaworsky tallied the second Tourists triple of the year.

Moving into the weekend, Asheville will battle with Rome again tomorrow in Game 4 of the series. The first pitch is at 7:00 p.m. ET.