Hub City Drops Back-and-Forth Series Opener to Asheville

Morrobel knocks four hits, ‘Burgers strand tying run in ninth

Yeison Morrobel squares up a baseball.

By Hub City Spartanburgers

June 30, 2026

ASHEVILLE, N.C. — Hub City and Asheville showed up ready to swing in the Tuesday series opener at HomeTrust Park. The Spartanburgers (4-6, 38-38) and Tourists (6-4, 23-52) traded punches into the late innings; Asheville came out on top 10-8. Yeison Morrobel powered the Spartanburgers offense with a quartet of

ASHEVILLE, N.C. — Hub City and Asheville showed up ready to swing in the Tuesday series opener at HomeTrust Park. The Spartanburgers (4-6, 38-38) and Tourists (6-4, 23-52) traded punches into the late innings; Asheville came out on top 10-8.

Yeison Morrobel powered the Spartanburgers offense with a quartet of hits, including a two-run blast. Antonis Macias, Esteban Mejia and Hector Osorio also put together multi-hit efforts.

Both starters tossed scoreless first innings to begin Tuesday night in Asheville. After Hub City left two runners on in the top of the second, the Tourists struck first against Enrique Segura in the bottom of the second. Segura hit each of the first two batters in the inning. A two-base error on a back-pick from catcher Cal Stark brought in a run. Segura would eventually limit the damage to just one run and leave the bases loaded.

The Spartanburgers immediately struck back against Luis Rodriguez (W, 3-4) in the third. Two of the first three batters reached on singles. A wild pitch set up a two-run single from Maxton Martin. Macias would bring Martin around to score with a base hit two batters later.

Asheville cut into the lead in the third. Caden Powell led off the inning with a walk. He came all the way around to score on a one-out double from Chase Call. Mejia walked to start the top of the fourth, and Morrobel blasted a two-run homer, his 11th of the year, to make it 5-2 Spartanburgers. The Tourists got one back with a solo homer from Jack Moss in the bottom of the fourth.

Macias and Morrobel combined for more offense in the top of the fifth, as a leadoff double from the former was converted into a run on a single by the latter. Trailing 6-3, Asheville put a crooked number on the board in the bottom of the fifth to tilt the scales. Powell launched a two-run home run off Segura, followed by back-to-back doubles. Hub City removed its starter from the game without an out in the fifth. Cole Roland (L, 3-1) entered for the ‘Burgers, and after facing six batters and allowing a run on two hits, brought the bottom of the fifth to a close.

The scoring continued in the sixth. Facing Bryce Collins, Osorio singled and Gleider Figuereo doubled to start the frame, then Martin lifted a sacrifice fly to cut Asheville’s lead to 8-7. The Tourists answered with a Powell walk, two stolen bases and a Call RBI single, forcing Hub City back to the bullpen for Luke Savage, who got two outs to end the inning. The first two Spartanburgers to face Collins reached base in the seventh. Two batters later, Stark scored on a groundout from Luke Hanson.

Trailing by one, 9-8, Hub City was held scoreless in the eighth. Two of the first three Asheville hitters to face Savage singled in the bottom of the eighth. With runners on the corners, Call singled in Justin Thomas for an insurance tally. A fielder’s choice and a walk loaded the bases, then Kai Wynyard pulled the ‘Burgers out of the fire with a nine-pitch strikeout. Franciso Frias (S, 1) allowed the tying runs to reach base in the ninth, but he worked out of it to finish off the Asheville win.

The Spartanburgers try to even the series with the Tourists on Tuesday night at 6:35 p.m. ET. Hub City will send right-hander Izack Tiger (0-1, 9.82 ERA) to the mound to square off with Yeriel Santos (2-5, 8.34 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.