Emperors Rally, Win On Grady’s Two-run Single

ROME, Ga – Down two with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, the Emperors strung together three hits and plated three runs, walking off the Greenville Drive in game one of the second-half.

Jhancarlos Lara turned in one of his best starts of 2024, tossing a season-high 5.0 innings while allowing three earned runs. He bounced back from a multi-walk inning in the second and a two-run homerun in the fourth and stacked zeros in the third and fifth. Elison Joseph relieved Lara in the sixth and exited with one down in the seventh before Jared Johnson and Shay Schanaman sat down the last five batters of the game in order.

Hitless through four, E.J. Exposito changed that win a single to center to lead off the fifth. Stephen Paolini’s first triple of 2024 plated E.J. and a groundout from Arroyo would bring him home as well. With two outs, singles from Sabin Ceballos and Adam Zebrowski would add another in the fifth.

Then, in the ninth, down two with two down, Ethan Workinger walked and another single from Zebo put two on for Drew Compton who sent a line drive to right field to cut the lead to one. Jace Grady’s flyball to center field dropped in front of Miguel Bleis and scored both Zebrowski and Justin Janas who pinch ran for Compton.

Rome avoids falling below .500 for the first time all season, and begins the second-half with a 1-0 record. Be sure to get your hands on a Red Carpet Ronald Acuna Jr. bobblehead tomorrow ahead of the 5:00pm EDT first pitch.