Tourists Toss First Shutout of the Season in 4-0 Win Over Rome

ROME, Ga. — The All-Star break is over. The Tourists picked up right where they left off.

Andrew Taylor returned from the injured list Thursday night and was nothing short of dominant, spinning four perfect innings in his first start since April 8th to anchor Asheville's first shutout of the season in a 4-0 win over the Rome Emperors.

Taylor was sharp from the first pitch, retiring all twelve batters he faced with three strikeouts before being lifted as a precaution while still working his way back from injury. Raimy Rodriguez came on and the perfect game was broken up immediately on a Zach Daudet error at shortstop, but the no-hit bid continued for another full inning. It wasn't until Dallas Macias dribbled an infield single in the sixth that the no-hitter was officially gone. By then, the damage was done.

Rodriguez was excellent in relief, going two innings with three strikeouts. Anthony Cruz followed with two clean innings, and Francisco Frias closed it out in the ninth by retiring the side in order. Frias struck out the first two batters on just six pitches, nearly completing an immaculate inning to cap the shutout. Asheville allowed just six baserunners on the night. Four hits, one walk, and one error.

The offense got its contributions from both familiar and unfamiliar faces.

Jack Moss opened the scoring in the fifth with a solo shot to the playground beyond right field. 1-0. The very next at bat, Anthony Huezo, the Astros' 17th-ranked prospect making his High-A debut after being promoted from Single-A Fayetteville over the All-Star break, went yard to the exact same spot. 2-0. Back-to-back home runs, and Huezo had announced his re-arrival at the High-A level in the most emphatic way possible.

A wild pitch in the seventh scored Daudet to push it to 3-0, and Ethan Frey added an RBI single in the eighth in his first game back in Asheville since June 3rd after rehabbing an injury. 4-0.

Frey, Moss, and Daudet all recorded multi-hit games. And in his first at bat at the High-A level, Astros top prospect Xavier Neyens, also promoted from Fayetteville over the break and fresh off an appearance in the MLB All-Star Futures Game in Philadelphia, doubled in the top of the first to announce his own arrival.

Two new faces, two impressive debuts, and a shutout to open the nine game road trip. It was a good night in Rome.

Asheville and Rome meet again Saturday night. Parker Smith takes the ball for the Tourists. First pitch is set for 6:45 p.m.