Tourists Build Early Lead Before Late Scare

GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Asheville is on a roll. The Tourists won their second consecutive game against the Greenville Drive Saturday night, surviving a wild ninth inning to take a 10-8 decision and pull within one game of a series split.

The story of the game was written early. The Tourists sent ten batters to the plate in the top of the second inning, erupting for six runs and turning what was a 2-1 deficit into a commanding 7-2 lead.

Caden Powell got Asheville started with a solo home run to center in the top of the first, his fourth of the season. Greenville answered immediately. Enddy Azocar tripled to right to score Justin Gonzales, then Henry Godbout grounded out to bring Azocar home. The Drive led 2-1 after one.

Then came the second inning. With the bases loaded, Mason Lytle grounded into a near double play. The throw from third got the lead runner at second, but the throw from second baseman Yoeilin Cespedes sailed wide of first, allowing Kyle Walker and John Garcia to both score. Lytle reached on the error and the Tourists had the lead back at 3-2.

The rally was just getting started. Justin Thomas Jr. roped a triple to right field to score Lytle, and then the throw in from right fielder Justin Gonzales was off, allowing Thomas Jr. to score as well. A five-run second was suddenly a seven-run second. After the bases cleared, Ethan Frey doubled and Powell drew a walk. The pair pulled off a double steal to move into scoring position before new addition Jack Moss delivered a two-run single to push the lead to 7-2. Greenville starter Alex Bouchard was done, going just 1.2 innings and allowing seven earned runs on seven hits.

Starter Nolan Devos was steady on the mound for Asheville, going five innings and allowing three runs, only two earned, on five hits with four strikeouts. Greenville trimmed the lead to 7-3 on a Mason White RBI single in the fourth, but Asheville answered right back. John Garcia drove in two runs in the fifth while reaching on an error, and Zach Daudet brought Garcia home to push the cushion back to seven at 10-3.

Raimy Rodriguez was excellent in relief of Devos, tossing three scoreless innings with two strikeouts and only allowing one hit.

Then came the ninth.

Joan Ogando entered with a seven-run lead and couldn't record an out. Three straight walks loaded the bases. Antonio Anderson was hit by a pitch to force in a run. Justin Gonzales singled to score another. Azocar was hit by a pitch to force in a third. A passed ball by catcher John Garcia scored Anderson and moved the runners up. Henry Godbout then lifted a deep fly to left that missed the foul pole by just a few feet, a ball that would have tied the game. Instead, he was hit by a pitch to reload the bases with the tying run at the plate. Ogando was done, having allowed five earned runs without retiring a batter.

Conor Steinbaugh came on to extinguish the fire. He surrendered a deep sacrifice fly to Yoeilin Cespedes that made it 10-8, but got the next two batters on fly outs to seal the win. Steinbaugh picked up his first save of the season.

Through it all, Ethan Frey was quietly one of the best stories of the series. The Astros' third-ranked prospect went 2-for-4 Saturday, giving him ten hits in five games against Greenville, two hits in each contest, with five RBIs in the series.

The Tourists improve to 11-38. Greenville falls to 19-29. The two teams wrap up the series Sunday afternoon at Fluor Field. First pitch is set for 3:05 p.m.