ROME, Ga – Once ahead 5-0 entering the fifth inning, the Emperors saw their third lead in the last seven days of five or more runs reduced to nothing on Sunday, eventually falling 11-10 to Greensboro.
Eric Hartman’s nineteenth homerun of the season came with one and one out in the bottom of the first inning and moved the 20-year-old Canadian past Freddie Freeman on Rome’s all-time homerun leaderboard and into a share of 12th place with Landon Stephens. The gentlemen hitting behind him in the order, Owen Carey, also deposited a two-run home run over the wall in the third, giving the Emperors a 4-0 lead at the time. Another run crossed that same inning after a Colby Jones double and a Colin Burgess infield single.
Going into the fifth inning, Rome’s starting pitcher, Cam Caminiti, had faced three over the minimum and had not allowed a hit. He was met in the fifth by a trio of singles and a costly error committed by his first baseman, Dixon Williams, which caused two of the three runs scored in the inning to go down as unearned. Cam was done after five, giving way to Mathieu Curtis.
Over the last three frames, Greensboro racked up eight hits (three for extra-bases), and scored eight runs. Homers from Tate Southisene and Mason Guerra (twice) kept Rome competitive but it was the Emperors falling short again in game six. Notably, Guerra, Southisene, and Isaiah Drake all homered twice this week. And Carey’s home run in the third secured a six-game hitting streak from himself.
Rome wrapped up its 11-game homestand with a record of 3-8 and takes a 2-7 second-half record into their two-week road trip to Jersey Shore and Hudson Valley. Game one again the BlueClaws (Phillies High-A) is set for Tuesday at 6:35PM ET.