Bitter Road Trip Ends on Sour Note

KANNAPOLIS- The Asheville Tourists concluded their seven-game road trip to open the 2018 season with a 6-4 loss to the Kannapolis Intimidators. On a trip that featured cold weather and tough breaks all around, the Tourists lost for the fourth time by two runs or less.
Asheville had a great opportunity to take an early advantage on Wednesday morning by putting runners at second and third with no outs in the top of the first inning. Like a handful of times earlier in the road trip, the Tourists came up empty as a line drive double-play ended the threat.

In the top of the second, Taylor Snyder put the visitors in front 1-0 with an RBI triple plating Bret Boswell . Kannapolis answered in the bottom of the second after a misplayed ball in the outfield resulted in a lead-off triple. Tate Blackman 's sacrifice fly tied the game 1-1.
The game remained tied until Kannapolis rallied in the bottom of the sixth. The Intimidators scored three runs to take a 4-1 lead. The Tourists wasted no time answering. Asheville pounded out three straight hits in the top of the seventh including a pair of triples by Ramon Marcelino and Snyder. Shael Mendoza 's sacrifice fly tied the game back up 4-4.
In the bottom of the eighth, the Intimidators mounted a rally with two outs. A single and stolen base put the go-ahead run at second base. Nolan Brown followed with an RBI single putting the home team in front by a run. Kannapolis added one more insurance run.
Asheville's Sean Bouchard worked a lead off walk in the top of the ninth, but that was all the Tourists would receive as Tyler Johnson nailed down his second save of the season.
The Tourists head home to open up a seven-game homestand with the opener scheduled for 7:05pm on Thursday night. Asheville hosts the Columbia Fireflies for a four-game series that runs through Sunday.