Emperors Waltz Their Way to Saturday Win

BOWLING GREEN, KY – Lizandro Espinoza’s eighth inning homerun to left field brought the Emperors back even with the HotRods, and four walks issued by Bowling Green’s Jack Snyder in the ninth inning gifted the Rome its fourth win of the season Saturday, 4-3.

After shutting out the Emperors Friday night, 6-0, Bowling Green looked to swing the series back in their favor, and a leadoff single from Aidan Smith in the bottom of the first inning played right into those plans. Smith scored three batters later on a Noah Myers sacrifice fly to left field. Emperors starter Didier Fuentes went on to set down nine of the next ten HotRods across the second, third, and fourth innings.

Buoyed by the top of the lineup Saturday, Rome’s offense came to life in the fourth. Patrick Clohisy crushed his first homerun as a professional out to right field to tie the game. A couple of singles from Justin Janas and Bryson Horne and a Bowling Green throwing error on a groundball off the bat of Joe Olsavsky culminated in another run crossing the plate for Rome in the fourth.

Didier Fuentes donated a walk to the Bowling Green cause to open the bottom of the fifth inning; a walk that stung after an Aidan Smith triple to centerfield. Smith then scored on a sacrifice fly, putting the HotRods back out in front, 3-2. All told it was a quality start for Fuentes who worked 6.0 innings and struck out five.

Holding onto the 3-2 lead in the eighth, Bowling Green’s TJ Fondtain made a critical mistake on a fastball inside to Lizandro Espinoza who turned it around for his first homerun as a member of the Braves Organization. After reliever Rob Griswold’s scoreless bottom half of the frame, Jack Snyder walked the bases loaded and then walked home the winning run in the top of the ninth. Closer Sam Strickland came on to record a two-out save, shutting the door on Bowling Green in game five.

Just one game stands between the Emperors and their home opener next Tuesday, April 15th. The sixth and final game of the series with Bowling Green comes tomorrow at 2:05PM ET.