Balanced Attack Leads Tourists to a 6-5 Victory

ROME- The Asheville Tourists took care of business on Thursday night with an exciting 6-5 win over the Rome Braves. Asheville used timely hitting, quality baserunning, and clutch pitching to secure the victory.

Asheville jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the second inning. Wilyer Abreu connected with the first clutch hit of the game; a two-run single into right field. Enmanuel Valdez added a sacrifice fly later in the inning.

Rome, trailing 3-0 for the second game in a row, responded in the third. The Braves tied the score with a three-run inning that chased Asheville’s starting pitcher, Matt Ruppenthal, from the game. Ruppenthal retired the first seven batters he faced.

Joe Perez did not wait long to put the Tourists back on top. Asheville’s designated hitter clubbed an RBI double in the fifth that plated Matt Barefoot. Perez crossed home plate on a wild pitch one batter later. Rome cut the lead to one in the bottom of the frame and the score remained 5-4 until the ninth.

Freudis Nova led off the top of the ninth with a single and stole second. With two outs, Barefoot ripped a run-scoring single into centerfield; Matt’s third hit of the game. The insurance turned out to be important because the Braves received a solo Home Run in the bottom of the ninth from Shean Michel.

Devin Conn and Dany Cody combined to pitch the final six innings for the Tourists. Conn earned his first win and Cody picked up his first save of the season. Asheville totaled 12 hits in the game, went 4-for-8 with runners in scoring position, and all nine batters had at least one hit.

The Tourist will attempt to ride tonight’s momentum into another victory Friday night in Rome.