Emperors Too Much For Burgers in Game Two

After a total team shutout win in the opener Tuesday night, Hub City (22-17) and Rome (22-18) did battle again with Enrique Segura (0-0, 5.75 ERA) toeing the rubber opposite right hander Jeremy Reyes (1-4, 4.83).

Both pitchers cruised early in similar fashion to game one. Segura’s first two innings were three up three down, all coming on balls put in play. He ran into trouble for the first time in the top of the third when he issued consecutive walks to left fielder Logan Braunschweig and DH Mason Guerra followed by a single from catcher Mac Guscette, loading the bases with nobody out.

With a full count on right fielder Isaiah Drake, Segura was charged with a pitch clock violation, walking in Braunschweig for Rome’s first run of the series. Shortstop John Gil pushed across another with a ground ball to short to extend the lead to 2-0. But that would be all the damage as center fielder Eric Hartman grounded into a weird double play. He was thrown out 4-3, but the runners were on the move and had to backtrack. In the chaos, the lead runner tried to break for home but was gunned out to make for a 4-3-6-2 double play.

Hub City responded in the bottom half when Luke Hanson deposited a 1-2 pitch into the first row of Chaser’s Corner in left for a 1 out solo shot and his 7th home run of the season. The Burgers threatened by loading the bases afterward on a Yeison Morrobel double and consecutive 2 out walks to Malcolm Moore and Paxton Kling. But they would leave them all on as Maxton Martin hit a comebacker to end the inning with Rome leading 2-1.

The Emperors struck back with a 3 run shot from DH Mason Guerra. That came after Segura beaned second baseman Cody Miller with 1 out and gave up a single to Braunschweig with 2 down. Guscette was also plunked, but ultimately left on as Segura struck out Drake to retire the side with Rome leading 5-1 heading to the bottom of the 4th.

The Burgers exchanged the blow in the home half after Antonis Macias was walked and Carter Garate was hit by a pitch, both with one out. Hanson followed it with an RBI single and Yeison Morrobel hit a dribbler up the first base line eventually fielded by the pitcher and tossed to first for an RBI groundout that scored Garate. Rafe Perich followed with a single, but runners were left on the corners as Moore grounded to 2nd to end the inning with Rome’s lead temporarily cut to 5-3.

Enrique Segura parted after four complete, having given up three earned on 5 hits with three walks and a strikeout. He gave way to Seth Clark, who has struggled all season with his command and has bounced back and forth from being with the team to the development list, came on to relieve. Unfortunately for both Clark and Hub City, he continued the negative trend.

Clark walked Gil to start the frame, followed by a mammoth 2-run shot to the visitor bullpen. First baseman Dixon Williams was also issued a base on balls ahead of back to back singles from Miller and third baseman Will Verdung, the latter of which scored Williams. Miller was gunned out at third on the Verdung knock for the first out and Clark struck out Braunschweig before being taken down for Mailon Felix, who got Guerra to ground to third for a fielders’ choice, forcing Verdung at 2nd to retire the side with Rome leading 8-3.

Hub City threatened in both the 5th and 6th innings. Paxton Kling singled to leadoff the former and took 2nd on a wild pitch. Figuereo walked with 1 out, but both were left aboard. In the latter, Luke Hanson notched his third hit of the game with a double to lead off, but was also left there when the next three went down in order.

That allowed Rome to extend their lead in the top of the 7th when Felix walked Verdung and Braunschweig back to back with 1 away. Guerra followed with an RBI single and Guscette added another with a sacrifice fly, making it 10-3 at the stretch.

Once again the Burgers answered, cashing in a leadoff hit by pitch to Kling with a 1 out two-run opposite field shot to the berm in left, cutting the deficit in half heading to the 8th. But, the Emperors would go on to get those back plus one off Anthony Susac on a rally that started with a 1 out Hartman single. After a walk to Williams, Miller sent a 1-2 pitch to the berm, pushing their advantage to 13-5.

That would go on to be the final as Hub City squandered a 2 out single from Macias in the bottom of the ninth, falling to even the series and putting them back to 4th place in the standings.

The Burgers will look to rebound and leap frog back ahead of the Emperors on Thursday night as J’Briell Easley (0-0, 5.17 ERA) faces an arm yet to be named. First pitch is set for 6:35 PM.