The Asheville Tourists snatched first place away from the Charleston RiverDogs with an 8-0 shutout of the previous frontrunners at McCormick Field last Saturday.

Asheville starter Jhoulys Chacin threw for seven scoreless innings to propel the Tourists to a half-game lead in the South Atlantic League Southern Division standings. The whitewash was the first of the season suffered by dethroned Charleston (25-11).

Chacin (5-1) allowed four hits and two walks while striking out five, lowering his ERA to a sterling 1.87.

The Tourists scored five runs in the fifth inning, keyed by an error by RiverDogs second baseman Walter Ibarra. Asheville’s offensive highlights in the first inning included a three-run shot by Jeffrey Cunningham, followed by a David Christensen solo home run. Christenson, who also swatted a home run in his next at-bat, finished 3-for-4 with two RBIs.

Asheville (26-11) scored one run each in the third, fourth and seventh innings to pad its lead. Edgmer Escalona pitched the final two innings to preserve the shutout.