The Lexington Legends scored six runs in the first inning and pounded out a season-high 22 hits on their way to a 14-3 win over the Asheville Tourists in front of 5,120 fans at Whitaker Bank Ballpark Friday night.
Khalil Lee had four hits for the Legends, including his team-leading 15th home run of the year, a 430-foot, two-run blast in the fourth inning. Lee had five runs batted in.
Meibrys Viloria and Angelo Castellano also had four hits for Lexington, and Viloria drove in four runs. Michael Gigliotti and Vance Vizcaino each had three hits.
Legends starter Ofreidy Gomez pitched seven shutout innings. He allowed six hits, struck out three batters and walked none.
Gigliotti and Vizcaino started the bottom of the first with singles, and Lee was hit by a pitch, loading the bases. Asheville starter Erick Julio struck out Gabriel Cancel and Joe Dudek, but Viloria lined a double down the right field line, clearing the bases for a 3-0 lead. Olloque followed with a two-run homer, and consecutive singles by Castellano, Marten Gasparini and Gigliotti produced the sixth run.
A single by Vizcaino and a double by Lee in the second inning made the score 7-0, and Lee’s two-run homer in the fourth gave the Legends a 9-0 lead.
The Legends added a run in the sixth on Castellano’s RBI single, and scored three more in the seventh. With one out, Vizcaino singled and scored on Lee’s double. A double by Cancel scored Lee, and Cancel came home on a base hit by Viloria, putting the Legends in front 13-0.
After Asheville scored two runs, one unearned, in the eighth, the Legends scored their final run in the bottom of the eighth. Castellano led off with a single, and with two outs, Vizcaino walked. Lee ‘s single scored Castellano from second.
The Tourists added a final run in the ninth.
Gomez (6-11) got the win. Julio (5-11) was the losing pitcher.
Game two of the four-game series will be played Saturday night. First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m.