Handful of Homers on Hammerin' Hank Night Hand Tourists Victory

The Asheville Tourists (31-42) used a hot start on a scorching evening in Rome, Ga., to register a key divisional victory tonight. The Tourists scored six runs in the first three innings and never looked back in an 8-2 win over the Rome Braves (36-40).

On a night where Rome honored Atlanta Brave legend Hank Aaron with a replica jersey giveaway and throwback uniforms, a total of three home runs were hit at State Mutual Stadium. Asheville hit two while Rome hit one, helping lead the Tourists to a road victory.

Asheville scored in the top of the first inning thanks to a fielding error in left field. The Tourists would add two more runs in the second and three runs in the third to take a 6-0 lead.

Rome found no success offensively early in the matchup. Jesse Franklin V broke up Matt Ruppenthal’s no-hit bid with a solo homer in the bottom of the fifth inning. That blast to right-center was followed by a double from Kevin Josephina. The veteran infielder took third base on a wild pitch and scored on a Beau Philip groundout to cut the R-Braves’ deficit to four runs.

Unfortunately, the Tourists had a two-run long-ball of their own the next half-inning to erase Rome’s progress. The R-Braves picked up a couple baserunners in the later innings but could not push across any runs and fell 8-2.

Rome tallied just five hits on Friday night. Jesse Franklin V finished 1-for-3 with a homer, one RBI, and one run. With 19 homers in 2021, Franklin is tied atop the High-A East in that category. Josephina was 1-for-4 with one run scored while Rusber Estrada (1-3) and Michael Harris II (1-3) had one hit each. Andrew Moritz (1-3) added a base knock as well, increasing his hitting streak to 15 games.

Starting pitcher Jake McSteen picked up the loss, dropping his record to 4-1 on the season. The Nebraska product allowed five earned runs on ten hits in three innings. Coleman Huntley III pitched five innings in relief, surrendering just one earned run on five hits and one walk. Huntley recorded ten strikeouts on the day. Davis Schwab struck out two Tourists in a quick ninth inning.

With Friday night’s decision, Rome and Asheville have split the first four games of this week-long series. Rome falls back to four games below .500. They are 17.5 games behind division-leading Bowling Green, 11 games behind second-place Greensboro, and 3 games behind third-place Greenville.

The two teams will square off again on Saturday night at State Mutual Stadium. Gates will open at 5 p.m. EDT and first pitch is set for 6 p.m.

Saturday night also marks Rome’s second firework night of the 2021 season. Fans can enjoy one more firework show with the family before the kids go back to school with the Rome Braves’ End of Summer Fireworks Night. The firework show is presented by Chick-Fil-A and will begin just after the game’s conclusion.

For more information or to purchase tickets, please visit RomeBraves.com/Promotions or call the Rome Braves Box Office at 706-378-5144.