Losing Skid Hits Three as Columbia Beats Rome 6-2

COLUMBIA, SC - The Rome Braves dropped another game to the Columbia Fireflies on Friday night, losing 6-2 in a game delayed about 30 minutes due to lightning. The loss is the Braves ninth defeat in ten games at Segra Park this season and Rome's sixth consecutive loss to Columbia overall.
A five run 3rd inning against Rome starter LHP Dilmer Mejia proved to be the team's undoing. Columbia never trailed in the game and held the Braves offense to two runs on eight hits. Rome went 1-10 with runners in scoring position.
Trailing 5-0 the Braves got two runs in the 5th inning in their only run-scoring rally of the evening. Justin Dean ripped an RBI double down the left field line to score Ricardo Rodriguez. Michael Harris followed with an RBI groundout to bring in Brendan Venter, making it 5-2. Dean was stranded at third base to end the frame and Rome would not get another runner into scoring position.

The 6-2 defeat to Columbia puts Rome five games behind Asheville in the Southern Division race.
Mejia received the loss but did not pitch poorly. He threw 6 innings and allowed five runs, two earned, on six hits. He struck out three and did not walk a batter.
Dean was 2-4 with a double and an RBI. Greg Cullen was 1-4 with a double. Venter went 1-4 with a run scored. Rodriguez was 1-3 with a walk and a run scored.
Rome and Columbia continue their four game series on Saturday evening. First pitch of Game 3 from Segra Park is scheduled for 6:05 pm. Rome will start RHP Alan Rangel (9-7, 4.75) while Columbia is expected to start RHP Daison Acosta (1-2, 3.23).