Dash Comeback Bid Falls Just Short in 9-7 Loss

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (May 19, 2022) — The Winston-Salem Dash mounted a furious rally late, but fell just short in a 9-7 loss to the Asheville Tourists.

Asheville opened up the scoring in the top of the first inning.Christian Gonzalez drew a leadoff walk, then Michael Sandle laced a triple to bring Gonzalez in to score. Sandle would score as well, when Will Wagner drove a ball deep enough for a sacrifice fly.

Already trailing 2-0, the Dash responded promptly in the home half of the first.Jason Matthews worked a one out walk, then Oscar Colas drove him in with a hard hit double into the right-centerfield alley. Then with two outs, Luis Mieses ripped a double off the wall in right-center, bringing Colas around to score and tying the game at two.

However, the Tourists kept things rolling in the second inning. Three straight singles loaded the bases againstLuis Moncada, but he struck out Gonzalez then got Sandle to pop out down the first base line for two crucial outs. But Will Wagner pulled through for Asheville, when he unloaded the bases with a three-run double down the left field line. Colin Barber followed suit, lacing a double of his own to bring Wagner in to score, and Asheville took the lead back 6-2.

Neither team got another run across until the bottom of the fifth.Terrell Tatum led off the frame with a double, before moving to third on a fielder’s choice ground out. Then, Jason Matthews plated Tatum on another ground ball, as the Dash used some small ball to make it a 6-3 deficit.

The Dash continued their comeback bid in the seventh inning. Tatum singled to lead it off, thenDuke Ellis drew a four pitch walk. Both men advanced on a deep fly ball by Matthews, before a balk allowed Tatum to take home. Then, Oscar Colas manufactured a run with his ground ball to the right side, as Ellis scored to make it just a 6-5 Asheville lead.

On to the top of the eighth, where the Tourists quickly made two outs before aZach Daniels walk and a Nerio Rodriguez single. From there, JC Correa knocked in Daniels with a single to right. Then, a CJ Stubbs bloop single brought both Rodriguez and Correa around to score, and Asheville extended their lead to 9-5.

Winston-Salem continued to battle in the eighth.Luis Curbelo opened the frame with a single, then back to back walks loaded the bases for Tatum. He also worked a walk, forcing in a run to make it a 9-6 ballgame. Right after Tatum, Ellis picked up another RBI on a fielder’s choice ground ball and the Dash trailed just 9-7.

In the ninth,Bryan Ramos kicked things off with a leadoff double. After a Luis Mieses fly out, Curbelo reached on an infield single and the Dash had the go-ahead run up to bat. But Alsander Womack lined out for the second out, and Keegan Fish went down on strikes to end the comeback bid, as the Tourists won 9-7.

Ernesto Jaquez got the win for Asheville, and Luis Moncada took the loss for the Dash.

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