ASHEVILLE, N.C. — Caden Powell saved his best for last.
With three games remaining in the 2026 season, Powell put together his best offensive performance of the year, going 3-for-5 with two home runs and five RBIs to power the Tourists to a 10-6 win over the Grasshoppers Friday night at HomeTrust Park.
Powell got things going immediately. With Xavier Neyens and Anthony Huezo on base in the bottom of the first, he launched a three-run home run to right field, his 17th of the season, to put Asheville ahead 3-0 before Greensboro had recorded an out. He wasn't done. In the fifth, with Neyens on base again, Powell went back to center for a two-run shot. His 18th is a new team-high this season. It pushed the lead to 6-3. Five RBIs, two home runs, and a sold out HomeTrust Park crowd of 4,001 that appreciated every swing.
Kellan Oakes gave the offense the innings it needed, going five frames with five strikeouts and allowing three runs. Francisco Frias followed with 2.2 solid innings to bridge the gap to Max Martin, who allowed two late runs but by then the game was well in hand.
Greensboro chipped away throughout. Wyatt Sanford homered in the third to cut it to 3-1, and Richard Ramirez launched a two-run shot in the fourth to make it 3-3 and briefly threaten the Tourists' lead. But Asheville answered each time. A Jack Moss grounder scored Powell on a throwing error to make it 4-1 in the third. The Powell homer in the fifth pushed it to 6-3. Xavier Neyens doubled in the sixth to score DJ Newman and make it 7-3. Then John Garcia launched a three-run home run to right-center in the seventh to blow it open at 10-4.
Greensboro added two in the ninth on a Dylan Palmer single but it was a footnote to an Asheville offensive performance that featured 14 hits across the lineup.
Powell led the way but had plenty of company. Kyle Walker went 3-for-4 with two doubles. Neyens and Newman both recorded multi-hit games. It was the kind of complete offensive night the Tourists had been waiting for this series.
Asheville and Greensboro meet again Saturday night at HomeTrust Park. Parker Smith takes the ball for the Tourists against Greensboro's Draven Zeigler. First pitch is set for 6:05 p.m.