Asheville suffers big loss

ASHEVILLE, NC - Losing their sixth game in a row, the Asheville Tourists were blown out by the Greensboro Grasshoppers 9-0 on Friday night at McCormick Field.

The Grasshoppers ( 75-30) scored first in the opening frame. An RBI single brought home one runner, but on the play, center fielder Mason Lytle uncorked the ball to second base for a putout, ending the half inning.

A two-run blast in the fifth extended the Greensboro lead to make it 3-0. Later in the seventh, the game was split open as three more runs scored. Another was brought home in the eighth, and two finalized the damage in the ninth.

Right-hander Andrew Taylor (L, 1-3) went the first four and two-thirds innings. He allowed three runs on four hits. In his Asheville debut, Anthony Cruz surrendered six in three and two-thirds innings, before Luis Aguilar faced two and retired as many in his first-ever Asheville appearance.

The Tourists (43-61) had one less hit than the Grasshoppers, scratching nine on the board. Double plays and a lack of capitalization with runners in scoring position kept them off the board.

Asheville and Greensboro will continue the series tomorrow with a 6:05 p.m. ET first pitch.