Asheville Tourists
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Asheville is back in the win column. The Tourists erased a four-run first-inning deficit and exploded for 13 runs Friday night, handing the Greenville Drive a 13-8 loss and snapping a three-game losing streak in the series.
— Asheville Tourists (@GoTourists) May 30, 2026
Greenville jumped on Asheville starter Parker Smith early. Gerardo Rodriguez doubled to score Enddy Azocar, then Mason White crushed a three-run home run to put the Drive up 4-0 after the first. Smith settled in after that, finishing four innings with those four runs being the only damage, all coming in that opening frame, while striking out six.
Our players tried to identify a Hellbender Salamander. 🦎
See the chaos for yourself and then join us for Snot Otters Night on June 5th! pic.twitter.com/h19CiaoQmg
— Asheville Tourists (@GoTourists) May 29, 2026
The Tourists chipped away starting in the third. Freuddy Batista got Asheville on the board with a solo home run over the replica Green Monster in left field. Then the fourth inning blew the game open. John Garcia started it with a sharp line drive double to center, scoring Kyle Walker and Alejandro Nunez to cut the deficit to one. Later in the frame, Batista singled through the middle to score Garcia, and Justin Thomas Jr. capped the rally with a three-run blast to left-center. Just like that, the Tourists led 7-4.
A 429 foot 🚀 FOR MASON WHITE!
The Drive put up a four-spot in the first after a 3-run blast from White extends the early lead.
Tourists 0 | Drive 4 | T2 pic.twitter.com/8fIfYMNTEU
— Greenville Drive (@GreenvilleDrive) May 29, 2026
Eurys Martich came on in relief of Smith and was outstanding, tossing 2.1 scoreless innings with three strikeouts to earn his first win of the season.
Made it to the 7⃣th inning stretch.
The Drive still has some work to do with Asheville adding another in the sixth.
Tourists 8 | Drive 4 | B7
— Greenville Drive (@GreenvilleDrive) May 30, 2026
Asheville kept rolling in the sixth. Chase Call took off for third and the throw from catcher Gerardo Rodriguez sailed wide, allowing Call to come all the way around and score. Then a Jack Moss single brought home Zach Daudet and Thomas Jr. to push the lead to 10-4.
RODRIGUEZ GETS THE SCORING STARTED! 😤
Gerardo Rodriguez gives Greenville a 1-0 lead in the first with an RBI double on a full count!
Tourists 0 | Drive 1 | B1 pic.twitter.com/5FjbJxmCxG
— Greenville Drive (@GreenvilleDrive) May 29, 2026
With the game seemingly in hand at 10-5, Greenville made an unusual move, bringing shortstop Mason White, who had homered earlier in the game, in to pitch. The Tourists made him pay. Asheville tacked on three more runs in the ninth off White to go up 13-5. Greenville added three in the bottom of the ninth, but it was too little too late.
Labriola escapes a bases loaded jam! 💪
The Drive look to respond in the bottom of the fourth.
— Greenville Drive (@GreenvilleDrive) May 30, 2026
Batista was the offensive hero all night, going 3-for-4 with two RBIs, a walk, and three runs scored. Jason Thomas Jr.’s three-run shot ended up being the killshot.
Tourists steal the lead, and the Drive make the second pitching change of the inning.
P.J. Labriola comes in.
Tourists 7 | Drive 4 | T4
— Greenville Drive (@GreenvilleDrive) May 30, 2026
The main issue for Greenville tonight? Errors. The Drive made four big mistakes plating a string of runs down the stretch.
The Tourists break through with a solo home run.
Sprague limited the damage to just one after escaping a jam with runners on the corners by forcing a ground out to third base.
Tourists 1 | Drive 4 | B3
— Greenville Drive (@GreenvilleDrive) May 29, 2026
The Tourists improve to 10-38. Greenville falls to 19-28. The two meet again Saturday night at Fluor Field. First pitch is set for 6:45 p.m.
https://www.mlb.com/milb/asheville/news/
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