Early Deficit Too Much to Overcome as Tourists Fall 11-4

ASHEVILLE, N.C. — Saturday night at HomeTrust Park was not the sendoff the Tourists were looking for heading into the final game of the season. Greensboro jumped out to a five-run lead through four innings and never let Asheville back in, winning 11-4 to set up a season finale Sunday night.

Parker Smith allowed five runs, only three earned, in four innings as the Grasshoppers built their lead in chunks. Wyatt Sanford homered in the first to get things started. A two-run Eddie King Jr. single in the third, aided by a Xavier Neyens throwing error that added two unearned runs, made it 4-0. An Edward Florentino sacrifice fly in the fourth pushed it to 5-0 before Asheville had found any offensive footing.

The Tourists showed some life in the fourth. Kyle Walker doubled to score Jack Moss, and a Wyatt Sanford error at shortstop allowed Walker to score. 5-2. For a moment it felt like a game. Then Axiel Plaz launched a home run in the fifth, Florentino homered in the sixth, and Greensboro kept pouring it on through the seventh and eighth to push it to 11-3. The Grasshoppers finished with three home runs on the night.

Jhoster Baez came on in relief of Smith and struggled, allowing four runs on four hits and five walks in 2.1 innings. Joan Ogando followed with two innings before Yosweld Vasquez closed out the ninth on the mound.

John Garcia was the offensive bright spot, going 2-for-3 with an RBI and a walk. Moss went 2-for-4 with a double. Xavier Neyens added an RBI double in the ninth to set the final at 11-4.

Sunday is the final game of the 2026 Asheville Tourists season. Dylan Howard takes the ball for one last time against Greensboro's Hung-Leng Chang. First pitch is at 6:05 p.m., with fireworks to follow.