Tokar Saddled with Tough Luck Loss

ASHEVILLE- The Asheville Tourists fell to the Greensboro Grasshoppers on Tuesday night, 5-2, despite an excellent starting pitching performance from Heitor Tokar. The right-hander went longer into a ballgame than any Tourists pitcher has this season with 6.2 innings pitched.

Tokar kept the Grasshoppers off the scoreboard over the first six innings. Asheville was unable to push any runs across against Greensboro’s starting pitcher, Nick Garcia, through five frames. The Tourists nearly had a run in the second inning when C.J. Stubbs singled into left field; however, Quincy Hamilton was thrown out at the plate attempting to score from second.

The Game remained scoreless until the visitors broke through with a pair of runs in the top of the seventh. Greensboro tacked on two more in the eighth to take a 4-0 lead.

Asheville rallied in the bottom of the eighth thanks to three straight hits from Chad Stevens, JC Correa, and Will Wagner. Nerio Rodriguez hit an RBI groundout and the Tourists had runners at the corners with one out trailing 4-2. The Grasshoppers escaped the jam and added an insurance run in the ninth.

Groundballs were a big factor for both teams all game. The Grasshoppers grounded out 15 times and hit into two double-plays. Asheville bounced into four rally killing double-plays, including one that ended the game.

Both teams are back in action on Wednesday for Game Two of the series. The first pitch is scheduled for 6:35pm ET.

Tourists Game Recaps are presented by Jackson Electrical Contractors, Inc