Brown Downs Gnats Friday

Savannah, Ga.- Blake Brown tripled home two runs in the top of the ninth to help the Rome Braves finish a comeback 7-6 win over the Savannah Sand Gnats Friday night at Historic Grayson Stadium. The loss snapped the Gnats' four-game winning streak.

Brown had a big night for Rome, going 4-for-5 with two runs scored and two RBI. In a 5-5 game in the ninth, with two outs and nobody aboard, Savannah reliever Tyler Vanderheiden walked two batters in front of Brown, who made him pay with a sharp triple up the gap in right-centerfield.

The Gnats (35-16) got a run back in the bottom of the ninth when RF Stefan Sabol doubled home 2B LJ Mazzilli to make the score 7-6. However, the game ended with the tying run stranded at second.

Savannah took a 5-3 lead with three runs in a busy bottom of the fifth. C Colton Plaia singled to start the inning and scored on a wild play on which the Braves committed two errors and SS Gavin Cecchini finished at second. Cecchini scored the go-ahead run on 3B Jeff McNeil's double into the leftfield corner. 1B Dominic Smith singled into left to score McNeil and give the Gnats a 5-3 lead.

The Braves (16-38) cut the Gnats' lead to 5-4 with a 1B Jake Schrader solo homerun in the seventh against reliever Dawrin Frias. An RBI groundout in the eighth evened the score at 5-5.

The Gnats took a 2-1 lead with two runs in the bottom of the third inning on a two-run McNeil single. The Gnats' leading hitter, McNeil was 2-for-5 to lift his season batting average to .345.

Rome took a 3-2 lead in the fifth with two runs against starter Miller Diaz and reliever Dario Alvarez helped by a pair of hit batters and walks.

The Gnats will send RHP Robert Gsellman (2-3, 2.48) to the mound Saturday against Tyler Broshius (0-3, 5.57). Fans can stay after the game for a spectacular fireworks show. First pitch is scheduled for 6:05 pm. Gates to Historic Grayson Stadium open at 5 pm. The radio pregame show on News/Talk 630 and online at sandgnats.com begins at 5:45 pm.