June 29, 2019—11:00 A.M.
KEVIN KAREL
- For the second straight night at Flour Field the Rome Braves found themselves tied 3-3 against the Greenville Drive after 8 innings. And just as they did in the series opener, the Braves found a way to win in the 9th. Shortstop Braden Shewmake delivered the game-winning hit with a shot into left field, scoring Justin Dean and putting Rome into a tie for 1st place in the Southern Division.
The Braves held the first lead of the game by pushing across a run in the 1st inning against Greenville starter RHP Alex Scherff. Dean hit a leadoff single and then stole both second and third base. He scored on an RBI double to the gap in left-center field by Shewmake to give Rome a 1-0 lead.
Greenville responded immediately and scored two runs off Braves hurler RHP Alan Rangel in the Bottom of the 1st, highlighted by a solo homer over the Green Monster from Everlouis Lozada.
Rome trailed 2-1 in the 3rd inning when Shea Langeliers ripped a two-out line drive single off the glove of Drive shortstop Grant Williams. The ball deflected into center field, allowing Dean to score and tying the game at 2-2.
The Braves overcame yet another narrow deficit in the 5th inning when Shewmake reached on a hit and later scored on an error. The unearned run made it 3-3 and the bullpens would maintain the tie from the 5th until Rome stirred in the 9th.
Dean reached base with a one out single up the middle. Greg Cullen followed with a single and pushed Dean to third base. Shewmake came up and provided the tie-breaking hit into left field, his third knock of the game and his second RBI of the night. Reliever RHP Ryan Shetter slammed the door on the Greenville offense in the Bottom of the 9th to ice the win and give Rome back-to-back 4-3 victories in the series.
Shewmake finished the game 3-5 with a double and two RBI. He’s hitting .455 in his first eight starts with Rome. Dean was 2-4 with three runs scored and three stolen bases. He was also hit by a pitch. Cullen went 1-4 with a hit by pitch. Langeliers was 1-5 with an RBI. Rangel received a no-decision. He pitched 5 innings and allowed three runs on six hits, striking out four and walking two.
Shetter and LHP Tanner Lawson each pitched 2 scoreless innings out of the bullpen. In the first two games of the series the Rome bullpen has thrown 8 innings and allowed zero runs. They have struck out 13 Drive hitters while walking four and surrendering only two hits.
Rome and Greenville continue their four game series on Saturday evening. First pitch of Game 3 from Flour Field is scheduled for 7:05 pm. Rome has not announced their starting pitcher for the game. Greenville will put RHP Brayan Bello (3-5, 7.79) on the mound.
Rome Braves (5-4, 35-43): 4 R 11 H 1 E
Greenville Drive (5-4, 37-42): 3 R 8 H 1 E
W: Ryan Shetter (2-0)
L: Hunter Haworth (2-5)
Time: 3:02
Attendance: 5,902