Depleted Tourists Drop Series Opener Against RiverDogs

ASHEVILLE, NC-- The Asheville Tourists entered Tuesday night with nine healthy position players. All nine started and three played in positions they had not occupied all season. Shane Hoelscher was forced to play second base, bullpen catcher Jairo Rosario started at third, and catcher Dom Nunez was the designated hitter. The makeshift lineup facing a healthy Charleston RiverDogs squad came up short by a final score of 10-4.

With recent injuries to Forrest Wall, Wes Rogers, and Scott Firth plus the departures of Emerson Jimenez and Sean Dwyer, Asheville fought to remain in the ballgame. After falling behind 2-0 in the second inning on a Bo Thompson two-run double, Asheville rallied for a run in the bottom of the third. Omar Carrizales plated Marcos Derkes with a sacrifice fly to left.

Once Charleston made it 4-1 in the fifth, Carrizales struck again; this time plating Robbie Perkins with a single to center. The teams exchanged runs in the seventh with Asheville's coming off a solo Home Run by Nunez. However, in the top of the eighth things fell apart for the home team.

The RiverDogs recorded hits from six of the nine batters they sent to the plate and plated five runs. Austin Aune, Isaias Tejeda, and Thompson all had RBI doubles while Jorge Mateo scored two with a single. Josh Fuentes plated the Tourists final run with an eighth inning RBI single.

Tuesday night's game was Asheville first home contest since June 15. Their opponent then was the same RiverDogs who scored 15 runs on that occasion. The good news for Asheville is that reinforcements are in route and will be available for Wednesday night's contest. The first pitch is at 7:05pm.