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