Dumitru, Espinoza Put on Power Showcase in Win over Greensboro
May 14, 2025 - South Atlantic League (SAL)
Rome Emperors News Release
GREENSBORO, NC - Rome's leadoff and three-hole hitter racked up 13 total bases in Tuesday's series opening 7-5 win over the Greensboro Grasshoppers.
After 118 at-bats without a homer to start the season, Titus Dumitru finally ran into a full count fastball at the top of the zone and sent it out of First National Bank Field, putting the Emperors ahead, 2-0, in the top of the first. A lead that Garrett Baumann surrendered in the bottom half of the inning after a pair of Greensboro homers from Javier Rivas (two-run) and Keiner Delgado (solo).
Lizandro Espinoza, who had also fallen into a homer-less spell of 50 at-bats, clocked one out to right field to begin the top of the third. Clohisy's subsequent single to left, Dumitru's sixth double of the season to right, and back-to-back sac flies proceeded to give the Emperors the lead back, 5-3, entering the middle innings.
Baumann rebounded, facing the minimum in the second, third, and fifth innings and dodging a two-on, one-out dilemma in the fourth. Another Greensboro solo homer (Esmerlyn Valdez) in the sixth signaled the beginning of the end, though, for Baumann who would face just two more batters before giving way to Tyler LaPorte. Unable to desert a baserunner left by his predecessor, LaPorte was credited with a blown save after a passed ball allowed the tying run to score.
In the seventh, the top of the Emperors' order was at it again. Clohisy and Dumitru both singled and a wild pitch amid Will Verdung's at-bat allowed the tie breaking run to cross. Two batters later, moments after sitting down Ambioris Tavarez on strikes, Greensboro's backstop, Omar Alfonzo, sailed his back pick attempt to second base into center field and allowed a second run to cross.
The top three in Rome's lineup finished a combined 8-for-13 with two homers, two doubles, seven runs scored and three driven in. LaPorte, Cory Wall, and Isaac Gallegos were excellent in relief of Baumann, facing just one over the minimum (fielding error) over the final three innings.
Adam Maier takes the ball for the Emperors at 11:00AM ET tomorrow in game two of their first interleague series of the 2025 season.
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