Burgers Fall in Series At Rome

After splitting their final series of the 2026 I-85 Rivalry — enough to claim the overall season series with the Greenville Drive, the Burgers hit the road for the first of back to back road trips. This week, Hub City went to Rome, Georgia for what would be a seven game set with the Emperors thanks to a double header on Wednesday that made up for the rainout of the finale of their last duel with the Braves’ High A affiliate two weeks prior.

The opener looked to be going all Rome’s way until the eighth inning. Despite having Cam Caminiti, Owen Carey, John Gil, and Eric Hartman all called up since the last time these two teams faced one another, the Emperors still had little trouble in hanging runs on Spartanburgers starter Ismael Agreda. The Emperors hung a three-spot in the bottom of the second and two more in the fifth which came on an inside the park home run from second baseman Dixon Williams.

The Burgers cracked the scoreboard in the top of the fourth, which started with a walk to Quincy Scott, who later stole second on a failed hit and run where Carter Garate struck out swinging. With two out, Chandler Pollard singled to left to bring Scott home and make it a 3-1 game. But, Hub City’s best offensive frame came in the eighth.

Casey Cook got it started with a leadoff walk and with one down, Gleider Figuereo also worked a base on balls. Antonis Macias then capitalized with a ground ball just inside the line and past the diving first baseman for a triple to right, scoring both. Esteban Mejia followed with an RBI single to left, cutting the deficit to 5-4.

But, after Pollard helped Case Matter face the minimum on a line out double play followed by a strikeout of Will Verdung, the Burgers left the tying run in scoring position after Paxton Kling singled with one out and later swiped second, falling 5-4.

Wednesday’s double header started off well for Hub City as they evened the tally behind some fantastic pitching. In the first of the twin seven inning tilts, right hander Connor O’Hara, who was called up from Low A Hickory Wednesday morning, got his first start immediately. The lights did not seem too bright for him in his High A debut as he went five shutout innings with one hit, a walk, and seven strikeouts.

That earned him a win as Luimy Munoz put together a six out save behind him, surrendering just one unearned run on no hits and a walk with one strikeout.

The Burger bats got the scoring started in the top of the fifth when Esteban Mejia followed a leadoff knock from Antonis Macias with a single of his own. An errant pickoff throw to first advanced both runners ahead of an RBI base hit from Arturo De Freitas. After Chandler Pollard reached on a fielder’s choice, Mejia came home on a disengagement violation charged to pitcher Zach Royse. Despite leaving a pair on by the end of the rally, Hub City led 2-0.

In the top of the seventh, the Spartanburgers added some insurance thanks to a one out single from Pollard. After a successful steal of second, Paxton Kling drove him in with a base hit. A Casey Cook single and a throwing error on pitcher Blayne Enlow led to two more scoring to push the lead to 5-0 heading to the final three outs of the game.

Munoz walked designated hitter Dixon Williams to start the final frame and did not help his own case with an error on a force attempt at second, allowing left fielder Luis Guanipa to reach. A wild pitch advanced Williams to third and he came home on a sacrifice fly from first baseman Will Verdung. But, a grounder to third brought the game to an end and evened the series at a game apiece as the Burgers won 5-1.

In game two, Aj Russell took the mound to face former USC Upstate Spartan Mathieu Curtis. Things got off to an inauspicious start for Russell as Guanipa lined a triple to right to lead off the game (Hub City was the home team for the makeup game). Connor Essenburg then got the Emperors on the board with a sac fly to give them a 1-0 lead that would’ve been enough for them to win the game.

Russell would end up going three and a third, surrendering one earned run on four hits with a walk and six strikeouts. He gave way to Cole Roland, who tossed an inning and two-thirds scoreless with no hits, a pair of walks, and three K’s.

J’Briell Easley finished the game, throwing two complete. He gave up an earned run in the top of the seventh when Guanipa legged out a leadoff  two-bagger on a liner that dropped in front of Kling in center. With one out, Will Verdung singled to center to extend the Emperors’ lead to 2-0 before getting caught in a pickle between first and second. Easley settled in and struck out Mason Guerra to retire the side, but the offense squandered a chance in the bottom half.

With two down, Figuereo and Martin beat out consecutive infield hits. But, with the tying run aboard, first baseman Brandon Crabtree, who came up from the Arizona Complex League earlier in the day, grounded out to first unassisted to end the game, splitting the twin bill.

Thursday, the series continued with Case Matter — ordinarily a late inning reliever, getting a spot start. He went against right hander Ethan Bagwell. Matter was solid — so much so that Hub City manager Carlos Maldonado and Pitching Coach Mason Milkey decided to alter the plan of giving him one inning and piggybacking from there.

Instead, Matter tossed two scoreless no-hit frames in which he struck out one and faced the minimum. Meanwhile the offense managed to give him a nice lead in the top of the 2nd. The rally started with one out when Crabtree drew a walk followed by  singles from Carter Garate and Arturo De Freitas, loading the bases. Evan Morrison then came up with his first professional hit, driving in two. Pollard kept the train chugging with an RBI double , advancing Morrison to third to set up a run-scoring sac fly for Cook. The rally ended when Martin popped out to third, but the Spartanburgers held a 4-0 advantage heading to the home second.

Unfortunately, that was all the offense for Hub City the rest of the game, which came back to bite. Kamdyn Perry came on as the piggybacker to Matter and worked three complete innings, but did start the sixth before being yanked without recording an out. He was touched for five earned runs on four hits and three walks with a strikeout. Two of those runs came in the third, there was a single run plated in the fifth, and two more were charged to him in the sixth when Kai Wynyard gave up his only hit to go with a pair of walks (otherwise he struck out the side), crediting him with a blown save.

Those five runs accounted for all the Emperors’ offense, which of course led to Perry taking the loss — his fifth of the season. Luke Savage finished out the game with two no-hit shutout innings, walking one and sitting down two on strikes en route to the 5-4 defeat.

In game six of the week, Caden Scarborough opposed Cade Kuehler. The Burgers had an early opportunity to strike after Casey Cook was hit by a pitch with one out in the top of the first and later stole second. Luke Hanson later walked, but Figuereo flew out to right and Martin grounded to second, forcing Hanson to get Kuehler out of the inning.

In the home half, Rome got to Scarborough right away. Carter Beck led off with a single followed by a base knock from Conor Essenburg. With one away, Guanipa doubled to left, and Cody Miller drove in a pair with a base hit. Miller was left aboard, but the Emperors held a 3-0 advantage through an inning.

Hub City delivered an immediate counterpunch after MAcias was beaned to open the second. Crabtree capitalized on it with an RBI triple and later scored on a sac fly from De Freitas. Morrison gave them a shot to add on after a walk and a stolen base, but consecutive line outs left him on to hold the 3-2 lead for Rome, who struck back like the Empire in the ensuing half.

Colin Burgess doubled to left with one away and came home on a triple from Beck, who scored on a single from Essenburg. Rome loaded the bases with two down when Miller walked, but further damage was avoided on a fly ball to right, sending the game to the third with the Emperors ahead 5-2.

Hub City got back in the run column in the top of the fourth, starting a rally with a leadoff hit by pitch to Macias. The Burgers went on to load up the sacks with a walk to Crabtree and a single from De Freitas. Morrison later plated Macias with a sac fly and after a pitching change and a wild pitch, Cook singled with two out to tie the game at five. However, he got hung up between first and second on the play, making the third out in a mad scramble back to first base.

In the bottom of the fifth, Guanipa put the lid on the scoring for the Emperors. He blasted a leadoff solo shot to left center off Wily Villar, who came on for Scarborough after five earned on eight hits, a walk, and no strikeouts, fortunate to depart with the game tied. Villar ended up with the loss despite the Guanipa go-ahead homer being his only run given up in three innings of work where he was tagged for three hits, didn’t walk anybody, and struck out four. Jesús Gamez also pitched a scoreless no-hit, no-walk inning in the third one-run loss of the series to date.

Saturday’s matchup had Ben DeTaeye battling with Aiven Cabral. Ben went five shutout innings, with two hits and walks as well as three strikeouts. The shutout was held thanks to some good work from the bullpen. Anthony Susac tossed an inning and two-thirds with a hit, three walks, and a strikeout. Luimy Muñoz worked an inning and a third surrendering three base runners — all via walks. But three strikeouts helped ensure no damage. J’Briell Easley finished out the night without a hit, walking one and sitting another on strikes.

At the plate, Hub City got to Cabral in the middle innings. In the top of the fourth, Morrison led off with a double to left. Cook then got the Burgers on the board with a triple to right, later scoring on a sac fly from Hanson. They went on to leave men on the corners, but held a 2-0 lead.

In the fifth, Crabtree and Cal Stark singled back to back to start the frame. After a bunt from Morrison, Cook added another RBI with a sac fly to center, making for a 3-0 edge. The Spartanburgers added three more in the eighth thanks to some early command issues for reliever Drew Christo, who came on for Cabral after he grinded through seven. Cook was beaned to lead off followed by a walk to Hanson. With one away, Kling doubled in a pair and Martin added one more with a base hit. He was left on, but the final margin was made as Hub City went on to win 6-0.

In Sunday’s finale, Enrique Segura was matched up against right hander Daniel Brooks — a native of Mount Pleasant, SC and College of Charleston Alum.

For the second straight game, the Burgers were able to get some longevity out of their starter. Enrique qualified himself for the win with five shutout frames in which he worked around three hits and a walk while striking out eight. In the end, he did not get the win as Rome plated a run in the late innings.

It was a mutual shutout until the eighth. On Hub City’s end, Savage threw a shutout inning with no hits or walks, striking out one. Case Matter would be credited with the win — his second of the season, after turning in a scoreless frame with a pair of strikeouts, no walks or hits.

Gamez gave up Rome’s only run of the day, walking a pair. The first was a one out pass to Colby Jones, who later stole second and third. Guanipa drove him in with a sac fly to center. Kai Wynyard got the save — his third of the season, pitching a clean ninth with two strikeouts.

The Burgers’ offense came in the top of the eighth which started with a Mejia single and a stolen base. Carter Garate then singled to put men on the corners for Cal Stark, who would drive them both in with a two bagger to left. After Pollard was beaned, Morrison reached on a force that cut down Pollard and Cook whiffed. But, Morrison stole second, allowing Stark a chance to take off on the plate and steal home for what would be a critical insurance run as Hub City closed out a 3-4 week with consecutive well-pitched wins.

With the season series against the Emperors finished, the Spartanburgers will get a rest day and head to Greensboro for a six-game set before returning to Spartanburg to finish the season against the Jersey Shore Blue Claws