Burkhalter Records Career High K's, Emperors Drop Thursday Tussle
ROME, Ga. - Blake Burkhalter's season may have started late, but he has gained ground and cemented himself as a pivotal piece of Cody Gabella's starting rotation as the 2024 South Atlantic League Playoffs creep ever closer. With the Emperors eyeing their fourth straight win, Gabella would give the ball
ROME, Ga. - Blake Burkhalter's season may have started late, but he has gained ground and cemented himself as a pivotal piece of Cody Gabella's starting rotation as the 2024 South Atlantic League Playoffs creep ever closer. With the Emperors eyeing their fourth straight win, Gabella would give the ball to the former Auburn Tiger Blake Burkhalter against the Asheville Tourists on Thursday night.
Burkhalter would go to work early, cruising scoreless until a speed bump in the form of a Narbe Cruz home run would put Rome in a three run hole in the early going. The long-ball from Cruz would be just the third that Burkhalter had surrendered all season, and the first since July 21st against Hudson Valley.
Facing a three run deficit for the second time in as many nights, the Emperor offense went to work in the home half of the fourth inning. Jace Grady would lead off the frame with a walk and a stolen base, setting the stage for a hot-hitting EJ Exposito to drive him in with his twenty-third double of the season. Exposito would follow the double up with a swipe of third base, putting Rome's second run of the night just ninety feet away.
Stephen Paolini would drive in said run by ripping a single into left field. An errant throw by Tourist pitcher Edinson Batista would plant Paolini at third base. Despite grounding into a double play, Nick Ward would drive in the third run of the night for Rome. This marks the second consecutive night that the Emperors would erase a three run deficit.
Burkhalter would call it a night after five innings on Thursday. His seven strikeouts would be a professional career high. He would make way for Rob Griswold, who would allow Asheville to hop back in front thanks to a string of hits and defensive miscues.
The four run to five loss is Rome's fifty-fourth of the season, and their twenty-sixth of the second half. The Emperors and Tourists will continue their six game slate on Friday night with a 7:00pm first pitch, as Mitch Farris is scheduled to take the mound for Rome.
Information Regarding Emperors Opening Day
Rome Emperors Fans, We regret to inform you that due to a pipe bursting in the Rome clubhouse causing significant water damage earlier this week, our stadium is currently not in a condition that meets the standards we hold ourselves to for your game-day experience-or for the health and safety
Atlanta's High-A affiliate starts the season with five top 30 prospects.
ROME, Ga – The Atlanta Braves, in conjunction with High-A affiliate Rome, today announced the roster for the Emperors ahead of the 2025 season. Once again there is no shortage of pitching talent on Rome’s break camp roster with five of MLB Pipeline’s Top 30 Braves prospects beginning the year
Angel Flores Returns as Manager; Rest of 2025 Field Staff Announced
ROME, Ga. – The Rome Emperors, in conjunction with the Atlanta Braves, today announced their 2025 coaching staff, which includes former Manager Angel Flores and longtime assistant Bobby Moore. Angel Flores “Flo” returns to Rome for his second stint as Manager of Atlanta’s High-A affiliate. It’ll be his third stay
Take Home A Piece Of Rome Baseball History!
ROME, GA – The Rome Emperors announce a truly once in a lifetime opportunity Tuesday with their “Dig up the Diamond” event to be held Tuesday, January 28th from 5:00pm to 7:00pm EDT at AdventHealth Stadium. Fans are presented a unique opportunity to quite literally take home a piece of
Rome Season Ends In SALDS Sweep
ROME, GA. - The Rome Emperors season came to an end on Thursday night at the hands of the Bowling Green Hot Rods, as they sweep the South Atlantic League Division series. Atlanta's number seven overall prospect JR Ritchie would get the ball from Emperors skipper Cody Gabella with the
Rome Emperors Drop SALDS Opener
BOWLING GREEN, KY - Back in the playoffs for the first time since 2022, the Rome Emperors took the trip up Interstate 24 to the Bluegrass State for the opening game of the 2024 South Atlantic League Division Series. Blake Burkhalter would get the starting nod from manager Cody Gabella.
Frey, Farris Tag Team ‘Hoppers in Series Finale
ROME, Ga – The Emperors wrapped up their regular season home schedule with a 3-2 win over the Grasshoppers to earn a series split with the first-half champions of the North. Kevin Kilpatrick Jr., with his single to left field in the bottom of the third inning, moved into third
Rome Rides Ritchie's Debut To Tight Win
ROME, Ga. - The Atlanta Braves drafted right-hander JR Ritchie thirty-fifth overall in the 2022 MLB Draft, and has been one of the most coveted prospects on the farm since then. On Saturday night, Ritchie took the mound for the High-A Rome Emperors for the first time. Ritchie, who underwent
Maier Masterclass, Paolini Power Gives Rome Walk-off Win
ROME, Ga. - If you're a fan of good 'ole fashion pitchers duels, then the Emperors versus Grasshoppers series has been the one for you. Looking to snap a seven game loosing skid, Emperors manager Cody Gabella would give the ball to right-hander Adam Maier on a Friday night in
Burkhalter Shines but Rome Nearly No-hit Thursday Night
ROME, Ga. - Carlson Reed and the Grasshoppers carried a no-hit bid into the bottom of the eighth inning en route to winning their seventh straight while handing Rome it’s seventh straight loss. Blake Burkhalter was phenomenal over 6.0 innings of shutout baseball. He struck out a career-high 11 batters,
Rome Drops Extra Inning Contest For Sixth Straight Loss
ROME, Ga. - As the end of the 2024 regular season creeps closer and closer, the Rome Emperors and Greensboro Grasshoppers continue a week-long preview of what could be the South Atlantic League's championship matchup. Rome skipper Cody Gabella would give the ball to Luis Vargas in the week's second
Emperors Fall Short in Tavarez’s Return
ROME, Ga – Drew Compton’s two-for-three day at the plate and Ambioris Tavarez’s stellar day defensively were not enough Tuesday night, as the First-Half Champions in the North took game one, 5-2. Rome was off and rolling in the first inning after a leadoff single from Kevin Kilpatrick Jr. and
Emperors Sweep Twin-Bill, Set Sights on Final Stretch
ROME, Ga. - On a day where the ball where was jumping off the bat, Rome will head to Greenville winners of six out of the last seven. The Emperors and Tourists teed it up for fourteen innings of baseball on Sunday morning, and Rome skipper Cody Gabella would hand
Emperors Win Suspended and Shortened Contest, Washed Out In Game Two
ROME, Ga. - On Friday night, the Emperors and Tourists teed it up for what was supposed to be nine innings of baseball at AdventHealth Stadium, but mother nature had other ideas. After one inning of play, a vicious thunderstorm forced both squads off the field and into the clubhouse.
Zebo’s Ninth Inning Double Fuels Walk-off Versus Tourists
ROME, Ga. - Three runs in the bottom of the ninth, courtesy of Nick Ward and Adam Zebrowski, kept the Emperors alive Wednesday night before E.J. Exposito’s single won the ball game in the tenth, 6-5. Again, it was Asheville striking first via a single, double, and triple in the
Kilpatrick, Grady Lead the Way in Series Opener
ROME, Ga – All but two Emperors recorded hits in Tuesday night’s 3-1 win over the Asheville Tourists. Riley Frey, Rome’s game one starter, pitched into trouble in the first after giving up two hits, both in two strike counts, to Kenni Gomez and Narbe Cruz before issuing a walk
Jhancarlos Lara is SAL Pitcher of the Week After Greensboro Gem
ROME, Ga – The South Atlantic League today announced their weekly award winners, honoring 21-year-old Jhancarlos Lara’s dozen strikeouts and six hitless innings against Greensboro this past Wednesday. The Dominican Republic native notched his first winning decision of 2024 and tied a career high in strikeouts with 12, something he’s
Rome Emperors Unveil 2025 Schedule
ROME, Ga. - The Rome Emperors have unveiled their schedule for the 2025 season with sixty-six home games and sixty-six road contests. The twenty-second season of professional baseball in Rome begins at home for the third straight season, as the Winston-Salem Dash come to town for three straight games starting
Bowling Green Evens Series in Sunday Shutout
ROME, Ga – Adam Zebrowski’s two hits accounted for half of the Emperors’ base knocks on Sunday afternoon as Rome dropped the fourth and final game of the series to the Bowling Green Hot Rods, 5-0. Shutout for the ninth time in 2024, Jace Grady and Carlos Arroyo were the
Burkhalter, Janas Headline Double Header Sweep
ROME, Ga – Blake Burkhalter’s complete game shutout in game one and Justin Janas’ two-run homerun in game two cemented a sweep of the division-leading Bowling Green Hot Rods Saturday afternoon, marking the first time Rome has won back-to-back game since June 25th and 26th. A grand total of five
Bowling Green’s Newcomers Star in Game one Win
ROME, Ga – Bowling Green’s star-studded lineup combined for four extra-base hits in Wednesday night’s 7-2 thumping of the Emperors, marking their seventh straight win against the franchise. Emperors starter Jhancarlos Lara took another step in the right direction with his 5.2 innings of three hit baseball Wednesday evening. A
Emperors Blanked Before All-Star Break
ROME, Ga – The Emperors mustered just five hits off the Greenville Drive Sunday afternoon and were shutout for just the seventh time in 2024. Cory Wall, after working a 1-2-3 first inning, let up a leadoff single from Greenville’s Ronald Rosario to begin the second. A Jhostynxon Garcia double
Rome’s Five-Run Fourth Lifts Emperors over Drive
ROME, Ga – Christmas came early Saturday night as the Rome Emperors, behind a five-run bottom of the fourth, bested the Greenville Drive, 5-2. For the fourth time in the series, Greenville jumped out to a lead in the first inning after three singles from Mikey Romero, Miguel Bleis, and
Rome Rally Falls Short in Anderson's Rehab
ROME, GA - Ian Anderson turned in his longest outing since undergoing season ending surgery in 2022, but the Rome Emperors fall once again to the Greenville Drive. Anderson, the Braves' first round pick in 2016, had not pitched in the City of Seven Hills since August of 2017. The