Globe iconLogin iconRecap iconSearch iconTickets icon

Tavarez, Verdung Shine in 15-Hit Thumping of Bowling Green

April 11, 2025

BOWLING GREEN, KY – The five through nine batters in the Emperors lineup Thursday night went a combined 13-for-22 (.590) with four extra-base hits, including two homeruns, and owned every one of Rome’s nine runs driven in. Angel Flores’ group is now back to .500 after back-to-back wins against the

BOWLING GREEN, KY – The five through nine batters in the Emperors lineup Thursday night went a combined 13-for-22 (.590) with four extra-base hits, including two homeruns, and owned every one of Rome’s nine runs driven in. Angel Flores’ group is now back to .500 after back-to-back wins against the defending SAL champions.

For the third straight game, Rome drew first blood. This time, on a Justin Janas solo homerun to right field off Marcus Johnson’s 2-0 fastball. Johnson scattered a handful of singles over the first four innings; his only mistake being the middle-middle fastball to Janas that put a hole in the video board in right field.

That narrative would change in the fifth. Will Verdung’s leadoff double and Bryson Hornes ensuing single tacked on a run. Then, with Horne on the bases, Stephen Paolini’s first big fly of 2025 doubled the Emperors lead and signaled the end of Johnson’s start for Bowling Green.

JR Ritchie enjoyed the early run support, cruising through five innings of work while seeing just four baserunners. A leadoff single and a one-out walk in the sixth inning prompted a pitching change for Rome, as Flores turned to Sam LaPorte to find the last out of the sixth with Ritchie’s pitch count up over 80. Ritchie struck out four and walked three over 5.2 scoreless innings, lowering his season ERA to 1.86.

Four consecutive singles from Rome’s 4-5-6-7 batters commenced the top of a three-run eighth inning for the Emperors. A ninth-inning Ambioris Tavarez double to left field, coupled with Verdung’s third hit of the game, added one more for good measure for the Emperors. Bourassa took the reigns on the mound following LaPorte and struck out a trio of HotRods in two innings of work.

Now 3-3 overall, the Emperors head into the weekend needed just one more win to secure a series split with the HotRods. Garrett Baumann toes the rubber in game four Friday at 7:30PM ET.

Dumitru's big night lifts Emperors over Tourists

April 20, 2025

ROME, Ga. - The Rome Emperors headed into Saturday night’s matchup against the Asheville Tourists needing a win to get the series advantage heading into Sunday. Scoring started early for Rome, with Will Verdung hitting a one-out single in the bottom of the first inning, scoring Patrick Clohisy. Asheville stunned

Nine More Innings of Shutout Baseball for Asheville Pitching

April 17, 2025

ROME, Ga – For just the seventh time in Asheville’s 100+ year history, the Tourists’ have strung together 18.0 consecutive innings of scoreless baseball, shutting out the Emperors Thursday night, 5-0. Over those 18.0 innings, Rome is a combined 4-for-56 (.071) at the plate with zero extra-base hits and two

Tourists Pitching Does a 180, One-hits the Emperors on Education Day

April 16, 2025

ROME, Ga – Titus Dumitru’s leadoff single in the bottom of the fourth accounted for Rome’s only hit Wednesday in Asheville’s 2-0 shutout of the Emperors. Solo homers from Alejandro Nunez and Joseph Sullivan, both off JR Ritchie, supplied the offense for the Tourists who were only able to muster

Espinoza and Co. Pour on the Runs in 15-Run Route of Asheville

April 16, 2025

ROME, Ga – Herick Hernandez’s nine strikeouts over 4.1 innings paved the way for a shutout in Tuesday’s home opener for the Emperors and run support was not an issue as Lizandro Espinoza accounted for 10 runs all by himself. Rome’s starter Herick Hernandez picked up a pair of strikeouts

Emperors Waltz Their Way to Saturday Win

April 12, 2025

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

Emperors Utilize Six-Run Fifth Inning, Even Series with Bowling Green

April 10, 2025

BOWLING GREEN, KY – Every batsman in Angel Flores’ lineup registered a hit Wednesday night in Rome’s 7-3 victory over the HotRods to even the series at one game apiece. After a scoreless first inning which saw Rome’s starter Herick Hernandez strikeout a pair of HotRods, Justin Janas and Joe

Emperors Succumb to Double-Digit Runs for Third Straight Game

April 9, 2025

BOWLING GREEN, KY – Ambioris Tavarez’s two-run homerun in the second inning vaulted the Emperors out to a 3-0 lead, but 10 unanswered runs from the HotRods cemented an opening night win for the defending SAL Champions. After 1-2-3 went down without a peep in the top of the first,

Fuentes Struggles in Debut, Emperors Fall Flat in Sunday’s Rubber Match

April 7, 2025

WINSTON-SALEM, NC – Rome was outscored 19-3 and outhit 17-5 over the final 12 innings of the series with the Winston-Salem Dash, consequently dropping game three, 11-3, Sunday. Didier Fuentes (Braves no.11 prospect), who hadn’t pitched since his stellar outing in the Spring Breakout Game on March 16th against Detroit,

Offense is Present, but Pitching Falters in 16-6 Loss to Winston-Salem

April 5, 2025

WINSTON-SALEM, NC – A dozen hits and half a dozen runs didn’t come close to competing with the Dash Saturday afternoon, as the White Sox High-A affiliate pulled away from the Emperors in the 16-6 route. After Rome starter Garrett Baumann set down the Dash in order in the top

Emperors Uphold Tradition of Winning on Opening Day

April 4, 2025

WINSTON-SALEM, NC – Two days removed from the announcement that Opening Day would be moved to the home of the Dash, Rome won its ninth consecutive season opener, 6-2, thanks to a couple of longballs and excellent relief pitching. JR Ritchie, Atlanta’s no.6 pitching prospect, made his first career Opening

Information Regarding Emperors Opening Day

April 3, 2025

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.

March 31, 2025

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

February 11, 2025

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!

January 24, 2025

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

September 12, 2024

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

September 10, 2024

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

September 1, 2024

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

August 31, 2024

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

August 30, 2024

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

August 29, 2024

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

August 28, 2024

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

August 27, 2024

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

August 18, 2024

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

August 17, 2024

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.