TOURISTS TRIPLES SWAT GNATS 5-2

The Asheville Tourists tripled their way past the Savannah Sand Gnats (30-24) 5-2 Wednesday night at Historic Grayson Stadium.

With the score tied at 2-2 entering the top of the eighth inning, the Tourists (23-29) loaded the bases against Savannah starter Brandon Moore. After Moore struck out CF Eliezer Mesa for the first out, LF Avery Barnes laced a three-run triple into the right-center field gap to put the Tourists ahead 5-2.
Asheville took a 1-0 lead four pitches into the game when Mesa launched a solo home run over the left field wall leading off the first inning against Moore. The Tourists then threatened to put together a big inning: Barnes reached on an infield single and 3B Nolan Arenado drilled a ground-rule double to put runners at second and third with no outs. However, Moore recovered to strike out DH Kent Matthes for the first out. 1B Joe Sanders then lifted a fly ball along the right field foul line that Gnats’ RF Cesar Puello caught just into foul territory. Barnes tagged from the third and tested Puello’s arm. Puello unloaded a perfect throw home where C Kai Gronauer held onto the ball through a big collision to keep the score at 1-0.

Moore settled in after the first inning and retired 16 men in a row from the end of the first through two outs in the sixth inning. He struck out nine and did not walk a batter but took the loss to fall to 2-4.

The Gnats evened the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the first when 3B Jefry Marte singled home CF Juan Lagares, who had doubled. Savannah took a 2-1 in the fourth. Marte doubled to lead off the inning, and scored on DH Nick Santomauro’s single into center field. Marte finished a home run shy of a cycle in a night when he was 3-4 to extend his hitting streak to eight games. Over his streak, Marte is hitting .406 (13 H/32 AB) with a double, a triple, a home run, five RBI and seven runs scored.