Poor Fielding Fuels Two Catastrophic Innings for Tourists

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SAL Rome Emperors

Poor Fielding Fuels Two Catastrophic Innings for Tourists

May 28, 2025 - South Atlantic League (SAL)
Rome Emperors News Release


Rome Emperors shortstop Ambioris Tavarez
Rome Emperors shortstop Ambioris Tavarez
(Rome Emperors)

ROME, Ga - Four Asheville errors authorized six of Rome's 13 runs to be scored as unearned Tuesday night in the Emperors' seventh straight series-opening win.

Three scoreless frames passed before Asheville broke through in the top of the fourth inning. Back-to-back one-out walks issued to Cristian Gonzalez and Will Bush put Emperors starting pitcher Herick Hernandez in a bind. A double steal then set-up Oliver Carrillo for a sacrifice fly to left field that brought home Gonzalez. Hernandez would have escaped the fourth with just the one run allowed had it not been for his balk during Tyler Whitaker's at-bat that released Will Bush from third base to make it 2-0 Tourists.

The fourth and fifth inning madness, which saw the Emperors score 13 times, commenced on first baseman Oliver Carrillo's missed catch error and throwing error on the same play. With one run already in thanks to Justin Janas' single to left field, Lizandro Espinoza's ground ball to third base should have been out no.2 in the inning, but Carrillo's blunder by the bag and unauthorized throw home allowed both Bryson Horne to score from third base and Janas to score from second. Espinoza then stole second which allowed him to score on Patrick Clohisy's slap shot to left field. And Titus Dumitru's seventh double of the season made it a five-run bottom of the fifth for the Emperors.

Things went from bad to worse in the fifth for the Tourists defensively. Ambioris Tavarez led off for the second straight inning and sent a high fly into right field that Tyler Whitaker lost above the lights, crediting Tavarez with a double. After a Horne four pitch walk, Mac Guscette's ground ball to third was shoveled over the head of Alejandro Nunez who was covering second base, and the potential double play instead resulted in a run scoring and runners left at second and third. Justin Janas' highly productive four-hit night continued with another run-scoring single and his stolen base attempt prompted another Asheville miscue on the throw down to second base which sailed into center field. A pair of singles (Clohisy, Tavarez), a pair of walks (Dumitru, Exposito) and a sacrifice fly (Espinoza) rounded out the eight-run bottom of the fifth.

Herick Hernandez missed out on his first career winning decision Tuesday, as he was pulled after 85 pitches through four complete. Instead, it was Sam Strickland pulling out win no.3, working the fifth and sixth with no issues whatsoever. Rome, Georgia's own Amos Willingham gave up a pair of runs in the seventh in his debut with the team. Giomar Diaz imitated Willingham in the eighth before pitching a scoreless ninth.

No other team in Minor League baseball has won seven games on Tuesdays this season, meaning no other team in Minor League Baseball has been better in series openers in 2025. Last year's third-round pick, Luke Sinnard is set to make his High-A debut Wednesday at Noon ET.

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Rome Emperors shortstop Ambioris Tavarez
Rome Emperors shortstop Ambioris Tavarez
   



South Atlantic League Stories from May 28, 2025


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