Two-Out Rally in Fifth Sinks Tourists 8-3, Rome Takes Series Lead

ASHEVILLE, N.C. — Anthony Cruz was one strike away from escaping the fifth inning unscathed. What followed was a chain reaction that led to a loss.

Five consecutive two-out hits produced six runs and turned a 2-2 tie into a 7-2 Rome lead that the Tourists could never overcome. The Emperors won 8-3 Thursday night to take a 2-1 series lead, and Asheville's offense continued a quiet stretch, scoring just seven runs over the last 24 innings after putting up eleven in the first three frames of the series opener.

Justin Thomas Jr. gave the crowd something to cheer about immediately, jumping on the first pitch of the game from Zach Royse and launching a 417-foot home run to left. It was Thomas' 17th of the season, tying former Tourists catcher Jason Schiavone for the team record. Schiavone set that mark in just 35 games for Asheville earlier this season, a stretch that led all of minor league baseball at the time, making Thomas' tie all the more impressive given Schiavone hasn't worn a Tourists uniform since mid-May. It was also Thomas' seventh leadoff home run of the year.

Rome answered in the second. Adam Shoemaker walked in a run, and Conor Essenburg legged out what nearly became a double play to score another. 2-1 Emperors. Asheville tied it when a Caden Powell groundball to short drew a throw from Alex Lodise that skipped under Mason Guerra's glove at first, allowing John Garcia to score. Asheville tried to send Thomas Jr. home in the chaos but he was thrown out by a wide margin. 2-2.

Royse was sharp throughout, going six innings and allowing just two runs while earning his fifth win of the season.

Then came the fifth. Cruz had Rome down to its final strike when everything unraveled. First, a walk to Cody Miller. Next, Mason Guerra single. Then, Cade Doughty, a former second-round Blue Jays pick who joined the Braves organization this week, ripped a two-RBI double for his first hit in the organization. Logan Braunschweig followed with a two-RBI single. A Mac Guscette walk was next before Luis Guanipa doubled to score two more. An Essenburg walk brought the series to an end as Saunier, in for Cruz, got the last out. Five runs, all with two outs, all in one inning. 7-2 Rome.

Guscette added a solo homer in the seventh to push it to 8-2. Powell answered with an RBI single in the bottom half, but that was all the Tourists could muster.

Despite outhitting Rome 12-9, three double plays and aggressive base running cost Asheville dearly on a night when the box score didn't tell the whole story.

Powell went 2-for-5 with two RBIs. Anthony Huezo, Jack Moss, and John Garcia all added multi-hit games in a night where the hits were there but the results weren't.

Winston-Salem and Greenville both lost Thursday, keeping Asheville two games out of a playoff spot. The Tourists and Emperors meet again Friday night at HomeTrust Park. Kellan Oakes takes the ball for Asheville against Rome's Kade Keuhler. First pitch is set for 6:35 p.m.