Luis Rodriguez Shines in 8-4 Asheville Win

ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Asheville was back at HomeTrust Park for the first time since May 17th on Monday night, and the Tourists made the homecoming count. Behind a dominant start from Luis Rodriguez and a late offensive explosion, Asheville knocked off the Greensboro Grasshoppers 8-4 to open the six-game series on the right foot.

Rodriguez was sharp from the jump. The right-hander went six innings, allowing just three hits and one unearned run while walking two and striking out four. It was exactly the kind of outing the Tourists needed after a tough road trip.

Asheville got on the board in the first. Ethan Frey reached second and broke for third, drawing a throw from Greensboro starter Connor Oliver that sailed wide. Frey never stopped running and scored to put the Tourists up 1-0.

Greensboro tied it in the fourth on a Jared Jones line drive single that scored Easton Carmichael. The Tourists answered immediately. Kyle Walker grounded out to second baseman Jhonny Severino who made an incredible off-balance throw to first baseman Tony Blanco Jr., but it was enough to drive in Zach Daudet from third and make it 2-1 Asheville.

Justin Thomas Jr. extended the lead in the fifth, lacing a double high off the wall in right to score Mason Lytle. 3-1 Asheville.

Anthony Cruz took over in the seventh and ran into immediate trouble. Yordany De Los Santos doubled to center to score both Jhonny Severino and Shalin Polanco, tying the game at three.

The Tourists answered right back. Frey lifted a deep sacrifice fly to right to score Lytle and put Asheville back on top 4-3.

Then Nehomar Ochoa Jr. took over the night. The newcomer had arrived in Asheville just the day before, taking an uber ride of over two hours from Single-A Fayetteville to join the club. He started his Tourist debut 0-for-3 with two strikeouts before stepping in against Greensboro's Hung-Leng Chang with a 3-0 count and the green light to swing. Ochoa didn't miss, drilling a home run off the video board in left-center for his first hit as a Tourist. The crowd at HomeTrust Park had its moment.

That opened the floodgates. The Tourists loaded the bases and Thomas Jr. drew a walk to score John Garcia. Then Frey singled to bring home two more. Asheville had erupted for five runs in the inning and led 8-3. Chang was charged with all five, finishing with a line of 1.2 innings and five earned runs.

Polanco hit a solo shot for Greensboro in the ninth to make it 8-4, but Cruz closed it out from there to earn the win.

Frey was the offensive engine again, going 1-for-4 with a sacrifice fly and three RBIs. The Astros' third-ranked prospect has been Asheville's most consistent bat since arriving.

The Tourists improve to 12-39. Greensboro falls to 33-19. The two teams meet again Tuesday night at HomeTrust Park. First pitch is set for 6:35 p.m. in a game that will be featured as the MiLB.com game of the day.