Monday June 29, 2009

Rome, GA – Aaron King pitched well for the Augusta GreenJackets but his one mistake proved costly. Gerry Rodriguez hit a two-run, two-out home run against King in the 6th inning to make the difference in the Rome Braves 2-1 win over the Augusta GreenJackets.

King was opposed by Rome’s Paul Clemens, who matched King zero-for-zero until the sixth. Charlie Culberson’s groundball to third to lead off the sixth was lost in the setting sun by first baseman Gerry Rodriguez. With two outs, Andy D’Alessio singled to bring Culberson home to give Augusta a 1-0 sixth inning lead.

After Luis Sumoza’s two-out single, Rodriguez followed with a blast off the centerfield backdrop to give the Braves the lead for good. King (3-5) finished seven innings, allowing just those two runs on four hits with two walks and two strikeouts.

Clemens (4-3) threw eight innings, allowing one unearned run on four hits with a walk and two strikeouts to get the win.

The game wraps up a stretch where Augusta and Rome played nine straight games. The GreenJackets finished 6-3 against the Braves during that run, the last meetings between the two squads until September.