Braves Outlast GreenJackets 7-5 in Opener

NORTH AUGUSTA, SC - The Rome Braves were opportunistic in taking advantage of six Augusta errors on Tuesday night as they won the opening game of their series against the rival GreenJackets 7-5 at SRP Park.
Playing Augusta for the first time this season, Rome got a strong start from RHP Matt Hartman and scored more runs, 7, than they had hits, 6. But the biggest number may have been the half-dozen errors made by Augusta.
The GreenJackets took an early lead 1-0 with a run in the 1st inning. It was in the 4th and 5th when Rome began to make Augusta pay for their sloppy glove work.

With one out in the 4th Ricardo Rodriguez reached on an error. Greg Cullen followed with a walk. Trey Harris then drilled a double to the gap in right-center, scoring two and giving Rome the 2-1 lead. In the 5th Derian Cruz walked to open the inning and Henry Quintero followed by singling off the mitt of Augusta starter RHP Blake Rivera. Jose Bermudez reached on an error by first baseman Orlando Garcia, loading the bases with nobody out. Carlos Paraguate lifted a sacrifice fly to right, bringing in a run. After the relay throw to the plate was tardy, Augusta catcher Jeffry Parra fired a throw to second base but it sailed into center field, scoring another run. Bermudez eventually scored in the inning on a throwing error by Rivera.
Rome added their final tallies on a soaring two run homer out to right by Griffin Benson, making it 7-2 in the 8th inning. Augusta got a three run homer from Parra in the Bottom of the 9th but would get no closer as the Braves locked it down to take the opener.
Harris was 1-4 with a double and two RBI. Benson went 1-4 with a two run homer. Cullen was 0-2 but walked three times and scored twice. Bermudez was 1-3 with a single, walk and a run scored. Hartman got the win, his first as a Rome Brave. He pitched 5 innings, allowing one run on two hits. He struck out five and walked three. Reliever LHP Dilmer Mejia threw 3 innings and allowed one run on two hits. He struck out three and did not issue a walk.
Rome and Augusta continue their four game series on Wednesday evening at SRP Park. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 pm. Rome will start RHP Odalvi Javier (2-2, 4.82) while Augusta puts LHP Seth Corry (0-1, 2.20) on the mound.