Rome Braves News: September 1 - September 7, 2024

The Rome Emperors, the High-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves, have had a mixed bag of performances over the past week. Here’s a quick rundown of their recent games:

Clinching the First-Half Title

The Emperors secured a significant milestone by clinching the first-half title with a 6-4 win over the Greenville Drive. This victory marked the seventh time in franchise history that Rome will play for a South Atlantic League title in September.

Series Finale Against Greenville

Despite Ian Anderson’s longest outing since his season-ending surgery in 2022, the Emperors fell to the Greenville Drive. Anderson, the Braves’ first-round pick in 2016, had not pitched in Rome since August 2017.

Walk-Off Wins

The Emperors experienced thrilling walk-off victories, including one courtesy of Adam Zebrowski’s solo home run on the first pitch of the bottom of the ninth inning. Another walk-off win came after a series of hits and a two-run single by Grady in the bottom of the ninth.

Tough Losses

Rome suffered a 10-3 loss to Greenville, capping off their first-half championship run. The team also faced setbacks against the Bowling Green Hot Rods, losing 7-1 and 4-1 in consecutive games.

Rehab Starts

The Emperors hosted rehab starts for major league players, including AJ Smith-Shawver and A.J. Minter. Smith-Shawver struck out the side in his first inning back from a Grade 2 left oblique strain, while Minter allowed one unearned run in his only inning of work.

The Rome Emperors have shown resilience and determination, bouncing back from tough losses with dramatic walk-off wins. As they look forward to the second half of the season, they aim to build on their first-half success and make a strong push for the South Atlantic League title.

Note

The team is now known as the Rome Emperors, having changed their name from the Rome Braves to distinguish themselves from their parent organization and create a unique identity.