McCabe Homers, Braves Take Game Three Make-up

ROME, GA – After Thursday night's contest was postponed due to rain, a doubleheader awaited the ‘Dads and the Braves Friday with game one going the way of the Braves, 5-3 in seven. Unfortunately, game two of the twin bill was postponed to Saturday once again due to rain.

Aside from a Geraldo Quintero single to lead off the bottom of the first, Rome had nothing to show for their efforts at the plate though three. Drake Baldwin doubled to start the home half of the fourth and David McCabe did the rest, depositing his fifth homer of the year over the right field wall to give the Braves a 2-0 lead. A walk to Keshawn Ogans and a double off the bat of Ethan Workinger would extend the lead by one by the end of the inning.

Gwinnett rehabber Darius Vines made his second start with High-A Rome and held Hickory hitless through three. Vines worked around a couple of walks in the top of the second inning but could not sidestep a Keyber Rodriguez three-run blast in the fifth. The 2019 seventh rounder lasted 4.1 innings and struck out nine before handing the ball to Miguel Pena.

The longball from Rodriguez knotted the game at three but Rome would manufacture two more in the bottom of the fifth. Quintero found first on lead-off walk and a passed ball moved him into scoring position. Nacho Alvarez’s 17^th double of the year would score him. A ground ball to the right side positioned Alvarez 90 feet away from scoring and McCabe would once again capitalize; a sacrifice fly to center put Rome up 5-3.

Pena picked up his third decision of the summer, improving to 3-1 with Rome. Peyton Williams faced the minimum in the seventh and struck out two en route to his seventh save. The ‘Dads and the Braves have two, seven-inning games scheduled Saturday beginning at 5:00 pm EDT. Gates will open for the Vaughn Grissom bobblehead presented by AGC Pediatrics at 4:00 pm EDT.