Errors Costly for Emperors in 6-3 Extra-Innings Loss

ROME, Ga - After manufacturing the game-tying run in the bottom of the ninth, Rome’s defense floundered in the tenth, allowing three decisive runs to cross the plate in the loss.

E.J. Exposito’s other worldly start to the month of May carried over into game four, as his third-inning ground rule double to bring in Ceballos marked his fifth straight game with an extra-base hit and his seventh straight with at least one RBI.

Drue Hackenberg tossed four scoreless and entered the top of the fifth with a 2-0 lead. A walk and a hit-by-pitch to the first two batters he saw in the frame would both prove to be costly as a Ryan Clifford single brought both runners in to tie the game.

A William Lugo single and Chris Suero double off Sam Strickland would break the 2-2 tie in the eighth. Down one in the ninth, Stephen Paolini’s single to move Workinger to third base set up Ambioris Tavarez whose fielder’s choice would tie the ballgame at three.

Defensive miscues loaded the bases with the ghost runner having already scored and the potential inning-ending force out on a groundball up the middle was mishandled at the second base bag, allowing multiple runners to score. Rome would have no answer for the ‘Clones in the home half.

The Emps’ look to get back on track tomorrow afternoon with a 5:00pm EDT first pitch against Brooklyn.