'Burgers Blitzed by Tourists on Thursday

Martin, Hardy homer in loss

By Hub City Spartanburgers

July 2, 2026

ASHEVILLE, N.C. — Hub City pitching struggled Thursday in a 17-3 loss to Asheville at HomeTrust Park. The Tourists (8-4, 25-52) scored 10 runs over the first three innings against Spartanburgers (4-8, 38-40) starter Kamdyn Perry. After a scoreless top of the first from starter Kellan Oakes, Asheville attacked Perry

After a scoreless top of the first from starter Kellan Oakes, Asheville attacked Perry in the bottom of the first. With one out, the Tourists loaded the bases on a pair of singles and a walk. Jack Moss brought in the game’s first run with a sacrifice fly, and Cesar Hernandez followed with a two-run single.

Trailing by three in the top of the second, Maxton Martin drilled a ball out of HomeTrust Park for the second straight night. Martin’s 456-foot blast, the second-longest of the season behind Arturo Disla’s 481-foot homer at Fifth Third Park, cut the Tourists’ lead to two. Martin has now homered three times in his last four games.

Perry (L, 0-2) escaped a two-on, two-out conundrum in the second, but was bludgeoned in the third. Three straight Tourists reached base before Perry recorded a strikeout. Asheville scored four runs on three hits with Perry on the mound — the right-hander left the game with the bases loaded. Ben DeTaeye entered and allowed the three inherited runners to score, along with two more on his own line. In total, Asheville scored nine runs; the most Hub City has ever allowed in a single inning.

Oakes settled in after the second-inning home run. The right-hander posted zeros from the third until the sixth. Thursday was the first time Oakes had pitched six innings as a professional.

Asheville scored four more runs in the fifth against DeTaeye, three of which came on a home run from Marcus Brown. Jesus Gamez entered to finish the frame, and held the Tourists scoreless in the sixth, striking out three through 1 1/3 innings. J’Briell Easley pitched the seventh and eighth innings and fanned three.

The ‘Burgers didn’t score another run until the top of the eighth, when Theo Hardy walloped a solo homer over dead-center field. Tourists’ two-hole hitter Justin Thomas Jr. responded with a long ball in the bottom half. In the ninth, Neurelin Montero entered as a pinch-hitter and whacked a double off the right-center field wall, his first High-A hit. Martin drove in Montero with a sacrifice fly to reach the final score of 17-3.

Hub City hopes to wipe the slate clean Friday at 6:35 p.m. ET. The Spartanburgers send the Rangers No. 2 prospect and Futures Games participant Caden Scarborough (0-2, 3.86 ERA) to the hill against Parker Smith (3-3, 6.05 ERA).

About the Hub City Spartanburgers

The Hub City Spartanburgers are the High-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers and the reigning South Atlantic League South Division Champions. For more information on the Spartanburgers, visit milb.com/hub-city. For information about tickets to any of Hub City’s 66 home games, call 864-594-0701 or email: tickets@hcspartanburgers.com. For media inquiries, email: iunsworth@hcspartanburgers.com. Follow along with the Spartanburgers on social media.