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 Floyd County. Maier, Atlanta's number seventeen overall prospect, entered Friday night's contest with two starts as an Emperor under his belt, and a five inning scoreless streak within the confines of AdventHealth Stadium.

Maier would get off to a promising start, retiring ten out of the first twelve Greensboro batters he faced. Things would get sticky for the Vancouver native as he found himself surrounded with bases full of Grasshoppers in the top half of the game's fourth frame. However, Maier would find his way out of it, inducing Javier Rivas into a foul territory pop-out to end the half inning.

Maier would get his run support in the home half of the fifth inning when Mac Guscette skied a pop-up into right field. With Ambioris Tavarez dancing down the third baseline, P. J. Hilson would air-mail a throw to the backstop that allowed Tavarez to cross the plate with ease.

Maier would exit the game on Friday with seven strikeouts over six shutout innings against Greensboro, extending his home scoreless streak to eleven innings.

Rome would carry their one to nothing lead into the top half of the eighth inning, where Greensboro would take their first lead of the night on a Shawn Ross triple that scored Duce Gourson and Hudson Head.

Greensboro would hold onto that lead until the very last possible second. With two outs in the bottom of the ninth, Mac Guscette would sky a ball into left-center field. As the ball came down, both Luke Brown and Lonnie White Jr. would get tangled up and allow the ball to drop on to the grass. With runners in motion, both EJ Exposito and Nick Ward would cross the plate to tie the game for the Emperors.

In the game's extra frame, the Grasshoppers would score the extra-innings ghost runner almost instantly with a Shawn Ross single to left field. From there, reliever Jared Johnson would shut down the Greensboro offense to keep it at a one run game.

In the home half of the tenth, Rome would load the bases to set the stage for the most magical moment of a young Stephen Paolini's career. Down in a two-strike hole, Paolini would belt a home run ball onto the berm beyond the right field wall for a walk-off grand slam. The walk-off home run would be the second of the season for Rome.

The seven to four win is Rome's fifty-eighth of the season, and their fifth in walk-off fashion. The series continues on Saturday night as Atlanta's number seven overall prospect JR Ritchie is set to take the mound for the Emperors with a 7:00pm first pitch.