Seymour Homers Early, Hot Rods Drop Series Opener to Tourists
Bowling Green, Kentucky – Bobby Seymour launched a three-run homer and Dru Baker collected three for the Bowling Green Hot Rods (6-8), but the Asheville Tourists combined for 13 hits to win 14-7 on Tuesday night at Bowling Green Ballpark.
BowliNg Green started the scoring in the bottom of the first inning off Asheville starter Ryan Gusto. Shane Sasaki and Willy Vasquez hit back-to-back singles to put runners on first and second. Both runners scored on a three-run homer off the bat of Seymour to give the Hot Rods a 3-0 lead.
Asheville answered back in the top of the fourth inning off Bowling Green start J.J. Goss. Logan Cerney led off with a double and scored on a two-run homer by Drew Gilbert to cut the deficit at 3-2. Jacob Melton doubled to left and scored on a two-run home run from Zach Dezenzo to give Asheville a 4-3 lead. Miguel Palma increased the lead to 5-3 off J.J. Goss with a solo home run over the left field wall.
The Tourists scored again in the top of the fifth off Bowling Green reliever Sandy Gaston. Kobe Kato walked, Gilbert got hit by a pitch, and Melton walked to load the bases. Ryan Wrobleski singled in Kato and Gilbert to make it a 7-3 ballgame. Dezenzo singled to bring another run home and give the Tourists a 8-3 lead. Asheville plated three more runs in the sixth to lead 11-3 going into the seventh. Gilbert led off the top of the sixth with a solo home run and Kato had an RBI single in the seventh to put the Tourists up 13-3.
The Hot Rods bounced back in the bottom of the eighth off Tourists reliever Deylen Miley. Bob Seymour walked and scored on an RBI triple from Junior Caminero to put the score at 13-4. Baker knocked in Caminero on an infield single to make it 13-5. Kenny Piper plated Baker on a two-run home run over the left field wall that decreased the Asheville lead to 13-7. Asheville scored a run in the top of the ninth and shut down the Hot Rods offense in the bottom half of the inning to take a 14-7 victory.
Gusto (1-1) picked up the win, tossing 5.0 innings while allowing three runs on five hits, two walks, and four strikeouts. Goss (0-1) got the loss, allowing five runs on six hits, five strikeouts, and a walk.
The Hot Rods and the Tourists play a double header Wednesday with the first game set for 11:05 AM CT and the second game beginning 30 minutes after. Bowling Green is starting Ben Peoples in game one and Austin Vernon in game two, while Hickory sends out Peyton Plumlee for game one and Valente Bellozo for game two.
