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 to Walker Janek to load the bases with nobody out. Four-hole hitter Luis Encarnacion would ground into a 5-4-3 double play, but Gomez would score to give Asheville their first and only lead of the night.

Kevin Kilpatrick’s three-hit night began with a single to lead off the first, and, after stealing second and third for his 40^th and 41^st bags of the year, would score a Jace Grady groundball to shortstop.

Frey rolled through his last four innings of work, at one point setting down 12 straight Tourists. He struck out two in the second, two in the third, and two in the fourth before being relieved by Giomar Diaz following the fifth.

A two-out single from Kilpatrick in the third set up Compton for his tenth double of High-A, giving the Emperors their first lead of the night. A Grady double in the fifth would plate Joe Olsavsky for the third and final run of the night.

Frey earned the win, Diaz the hold, and Ryan Bourassa the six-out save after working the eighth and the ninth. Game two is set for 7:00pm EDT Wednesday.