Defense Lets Down Pitching Staff in 15-4 Loss to Greensboro

ASHEVILLE, N.C. — The four-game win streak is over. A night after putting up 17 hits in a dominant win, the Asheville Tourists were undone by their own defense Saturday, committing a string of costly errors that turned into a 15-4 blowout loss to the Greensboro Grasshoppers.

Eleven of Greensboro's first twelve runs were unearned. The pitching staff did its job. The defense did not.

It started immediately. With two outs and runners on first and second in the top of the first, Alejandro Nunez fielded a routine ground ball at second base and yanked his throw wide of first. Carlos Caro scored from second on the error, and Jared Jones made Asheville pay for the mistake with a monster three-run home run. 4-0 Greensboro, and none of it belonged on Nolan Devos' earned run line.

Devos was sharp despite the damage. The right-hander struck out seven batters over 3.2 innings, and his only earned run came on a Yordany De Los Santos double in the fourth that scored Brian Sanchez. But a Zach Daudet throwing error at third with two outs in the fourth allowed another unearned run to cross, and the deficit grew to 6-0.

Jack Moss finally got the Tourists on the board in the bottom of the fourth with an RBI single to score Nehomar Ochoa Jr. 6-1 Greensboro.

Jordan Carr took over on the mound and started the fifth with a groundout and a strikeout. Then the wheels came off again. A Carlos Caro single put a runner on, and De Los Santos grounded a ball to third that rolled right through the legs of Daudet. What should have been the third out became the beginning of a six-run inning, all unearned on Carr's line. Easton Carmichael singled to score two. Murf Gray doubled to score another. Edward Florentino singled to score one more. Then Jones stepped back to the plate and launched his second home run of the day to cap a stunning inning. 12-1 Greensboro. Jones finished 4-for-4 with two home runs and two walks, as complete a performance as a hitter can have.

Carr struck out four over 4.1 innings and allowed eight hits, but like Devos, his earned run total told a different story than the actual damage. Only one of his seven runs allowed was earned.

Asheville added some late runs to trim the margin. Daudet doubled in the sixth to score two. Caden Powell hit his second home run of the series in the seventh, a solo shot to make it 12-4. Powell finished 3-for-4 with two doubles on the night. But Greensboro kept adding. Jhonny Severino tacked on a sacrifice fly in the eighth and a two-run double in the ninth to set the final at 15-4.

Greensboro starter Kyle Robinson was efficient throughout, going five innings with seven strikeouts while allowing just one run on eight hits.

It was a night where the box score kind of tells the full story for Asheville, if you pay attention. Devos and Carr combined for eleven strikeouts and allowed just two earned runs between them. On a different night, that is more than enough to win. Saturday was not that night.

Asheville falls to 15-40 but has still won six of its last eight. Greensboro improves to 34-22. The two teams wrap up the series Sunday afternoon at HomeTrust Park. First pitch is set for 1:05 p.m.