Posted: 12:45 PM May 23, 2012

Wednesday May 23, 2012

Rome, GA – The Rome Braves held the Augusta GreenJackets to six runs on ten hits in a three-game sweep of the GreenJackets. Rome’s 3-1 win on Wednesday enabled the Braves to break out the brooms and hang the GreenJackets with their fifth straight loss – equaling a season-long skid.

The Braves got on the board in the first inning with Kyle Kubitza’s RBI single to claim a 1-0 lead. After that, Augusta starter Clayton Blackburn settled down and delivered what was, at times, a masterful performance. In seven innings – Blackburn’s longest career outing – he allowed a run on five hits while striking out six. It was the third time in seven Blackburn starts where the righty didn’t issue a walk. At one point, Blackburn settled down to retire 11 in a row and he retired 15 of the last 16 hitters he faced.

Augusta had the bases loaded in the fourth inning and couldn’t come away with anything. In the fifth, they managed to tie things at one. After an error put Alberto Robles on the basepaths to lead off the inning, Robles was bunted over to second before scoring on Jesus Galindo’s RBI single to tie the game. A double play ball ended an Augusta threat in the sixth while the GreenJackets left a pair on in the seventh as well.

Rome got to the GreenJackets bullpen to claim the lead in the eighth inning. After two walks put runners and first and second with one out, Steven Neff balked both runners into scoring position. Kubitza’s second hit of the day – a shot off Robles’s glove at second – scored both men to give the Braves a 3-1 lead. With one out in the ninth, the GreenJackets mounted a rally by putting runners at first and second on a walk and a single. John Cornely buckled down to get a flyout and a strikeout to pick up his first save of the year and seal Rome’s third straight win.

Jarrett Miller (1-0) got the win for the Braves with two scoreless innings in relief of Greg Ross, who nearly matched Blackburn. Ross allowed only an unearned run in six innings on three hits and three walks in the no decision.

The sweep gave the Braves their first three-game winning streak of the year. Augusta has now lost five straight against Rome and five of their six meetings this season.

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