Romero Sharp As BlueClaws Tame Tourists

JoJo Romero was sharp on Sunday as the BlueClaws tamed the Tourists. 
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ASHEVILLE, NC - JoJo Romero threw seven scoreless innings with seven strikeouts and Darick Hall hit a grand slam to lead the BlueClaws to an 8-0 Sunday win over Asheville.
The win snaps the BlueClaws four-game losing streak as they wrap up their seven-game trip at 3-4. Lakewood improves to 32-25 and gets their first win over Asheville (25-30) after the Tourists had taken the first three games of the series.
Romero gave up five hits but did not walk a batter and struck out seven, improving to 4-1 on the season. Will Hibbs got the last six outs of the game and has now thrown 30 consecutive scoreless innings to open his season.
The BlueClaws opened the scoring in the fifth inning on an RBI single by Carlos Duran, going up 1-0. Lakewood added to the lead in the sixth on an RBI single by Cord Sandberg for a 2-0 lead.
Asheville starter Erick Julio came out after six innings, allowing two runs on five hits.
The Tourists threatened in the bottom of the sixth inning. With two-on and nobody out, Edgar Cabral picked up a bunt and got the lead-runner at third, before Romero got Colton Welker, the league's leading hitter, to ground into a 1-4-3 double play to end the inning.
The BlueClaws doubled the lead again in the seventh on a two-run home run by David Martinelli. For the left fielder, it was his sixth hit and second home run of the series, his third home run of the season.
Darick Hall added a grand slam (his seventh home run of the year) in the ninth for the final margin. It was the first grand slam hit by the BlueClaws since Jose Pujols on June 18th last year.
Daniel Brito, Cord Sandberg, Luke Williams, and Carlos Duran all had two hits for the BlueClaws in their win.
The BlueClaws head home and open a series with Kannapolis on Tuesday morning at 11:05 am. LHP Ranger Suárez (4-1) starts for Lakewood.
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