Late Score Lifts Asheville to Series-Opening Win in Rome
The Asheville Tourists (30-40) picked up a huge victory tonight at State Mutual Stadium, taking down the Rome Braves (34-39) 5-4 in this week’s series opener. After a thrilling comeback by the Braves, the Tourists were able to generate a late score to take the lead and held on in
The Asheville Tourists (30-40) picked up a huge victory tonight at State Mutual Stadium, taking down the Rome Braves (34-39) 5-4 in this week’s series opener. After a thrilling comeback by the Braves, the Tourists were able to generate a late score to take the lead and held on in crunch time to secure the win.
Tuesday’s matchup started out very rocky for the home squad. Starting pitcher A.J. Puckett allowed three runs (one earned) in the top of the first. After a few scoreless frames, Asheville added another run in the fifth, this time off reliever Marrick Crouse, to control a 4-0 advantage.
It did not take long for the R-Braves to respond. In the bottom of the sixth, Rome dropped a four-spot to tie the game. Jesse Franklin V hit a baseball into the visiting bullpen to make it a 4-1 game, then a three-run blast by Brett Langhorne brought in Logan Brown and Beau Philip to erase Asheville’s lead. The Tourists jumped back on top in the top of the eighth, pushing across one run with a two-out rally. Although Rome loaded the bases with two out in the ninth inning, Logan Brown struck out swinging to end the game.
Brett Langhorne led the offense in runs batted in, tallying three RBI in a 2-for-4 day at the plate. He also scored once and hit his third long-ball of 2021. Jesse Franklin V finished 2-for-3 with a home run (18th of the season), a double, one RBI, and one run scored. Langhorne and Franklin were the only R-Braves to pick up an extra-base hit. Cody Milligan was the only other Rome batter to get two hits, going 2-for-5 with two singles on Tuesday night.
Puckett allowed one earned run on three hits and one walk. The Pepperdine product struck out two batters in three innings. Crouse gave up one earned run in 2 2/3 innings and tallied two strikeouts. Gabriel Noguera struck out three Tourists in 1 1/3 innings. Kasey Kalich received the loss, dropping his season record to 0-2, after giving up the go-ahead run in the eighth inning. Davis Schwab threw the last inning and recorded one strikeout.
With the loss, the R-Braves fall to five games below .500. Rome sits in fourth place in the High-A East South. They trail division-leading Bowling Green by 16.5 games, second-place Greensboro by 11 games, and third-place Greenville by 3 games.
The Rome Braves and Asheville Tourists will play the second game of a six-game set on Wednesday night in Rome. Gates will open at 6 p.m. EDT and first pitch is set for 7 p.m.
The ticket offer for Wednesday’s game is All-You-Can-Eat Wednesday. Fans that purchase the All-You-Can-Eat Ticket Package, which starts at $36, can enjoy unlimited concession items such as hamburgers, hot dogs, popcorn, and soda. A limit of two items are permitted each trip to the concession stand.
Tomorrow marks the opening night of this week’s Charlie Culberson Bobblehead Giveaway. On Wednesday and Thursday, the first 500 fans through the gates will receive a bobblehead of Rome native and current major leaguer Charlie Culberson. The bobblehead giveaway is presented by Summit Hill Foods/Louisiana Hot Sauce.
For more information or to purchase tickets, please visit RomeBraves.com/Promotions or call the Rome Braves Box Office at 706-378-5144.