ASHEVILLE, N.C. — Chase Call did it almost by himself.
With Asheville's bullpen taxed after using ten relievers in the first two games of the series, the Tourists needed someone to carry the offense Thursday night. Call answered with two home runs and four RBIs, both shots landing in the same spot in right-center field, to rally Asheville past the Winston-Salem Dash 5-4.
Kellan Oakes struggled through three innings, walking five and allowing three runs while escaping multiple jams that could have buried the Tourists early. Winston-Salem left nine runners on base through four innings, going 2-for-11 with runners in scoring position on the night. Those missed opportunities would prove costly.
Raimy Rodriguez was the unsung hero on the mound. With every other reliever having already been used in the first two games of the series, Rodriguez came in for the fourth inning and delivered three innings of work, allowing just one run while striking out five. He kept Asheville close long enough for the offense to wake up.
George Wolkow singled to score Ryan Burrowes in the first. Alex Ungar jumped on the first pitch of the second and drilled it to dead center for a solo shot. A bases loaded walk to Bryce Eblin in the third made it 3-0. Rodriguez allowed an RBI single to Jeral Perez in the fourth to push it to 4-0.
Then Call stepped in.
He crushed a two-run blast to right-center in the fourth to cut it to 4-2. He came back in the fifth and hit another two-run shot to the exact same spot to tie the game. Just like that, a four-run deficit was erased. Dash starter Max Banks was done after five innings, his day undone by Call.
Frankelli Arias came on in relief and was sharp, retiring the side in order in the sixth. Then inexplicably, he was pulled after walking Keduar Trujillo to lead off the seventh. He threw just 16 pitches. Jack Young came in and got a fly out, then Justin Thomas Jr. hit a ground ball to third. The throw to second was in time to start the double play, but second baseman Eblin began walking off the field, assuming there were two outs. The crowd laughed as everyone on the field paused and stared. Thomas was safe at first and the inning was very much alive.
Eblin would make up for it later with a miraculous diving stop in the eighth, but the damage from his mental lapse was already done. Young walked Caden Powell, extending Powell's walk streak to 11 consecutive games, tied with Washington Nationals outfielder James Wood for the longest active streak in baseball. Then walked Call, then walked Jack Moss to force in Thomas Jr. with the go-ahead run. 5-4 Asheville, its first lead since Tuesday.
Francisco Frias cruised through two innings to set up the ninth. Manager Nate Shaver made a bold call, turning to Colby Langford in a save situation despite Langford converting just one of four save opportunities this season. He popped up Arxy Hernandez, then struck out Wolkow and Perez, Winston-Salem's two best hitters on the night, to end it. Langford exploded with excitement as the Tourists escaped with the win.
Call finished 2-for-3 with two home runs and four RBIs. Moss went 2-for-3 with the game-winning RBI walk.
Asheville improves to 12-6 in the second half. Winston-Salem drops to 10-8 and falls below Bowling Green into third place in the Southern Division. The two teams meet again Friday night at HomeTrust Park. Parker Smith takes the ball for Asheville against the Dash's Grant Umberger. First pitch is set for 6:35 p.m.