Tavarez, Ogans Anchor Order in Series-Opening Shutout of Hub City
SAL Rome Emperors

Tavarez, Ogans Anchor Order in Series-Opening Shutout of Hub City

Published on July 9, 2025 under South Atlantic League (SAL)
Rome Emperors News Release


ROME, Ga - After the Emperors and the Spartanburgers traded zeros for the first five innings of game one, three extra-base hits, including Ambioris Tavarez's seventh-inning solo homerun, financed Rome's 4-0 win.

For the second-straight series, right-hander Cedric De Grandpre opened the week on the mound for the Emperors and delivered his finest performance yet. Adding onto his 4.2 scoreless innings last week against the Hot Rods, De Grandpre worked six more scoreless innings Tuesday against the Spartanburgers while allowing just three hits and striking out a season-high eight. It was his longest outing since his return from Tommy John surgery.

Hub City's Leandro Lopez matched De Grandpre pitch for pitch for five innings, working around Justin Janas' second-inning double and Keshawn Ogans' fifth-inning single. Reliever Dalton Pence replaced Lopez after just 64 pitches and was greeted by a Lizandro Espinoza single to center field to lead off the sixth. Espinoza then stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch. A deep fly off the bat of Will Verdung did the trick and the Emperors took a 1-0 lead.

Joey Danielson replaced Pence in the seventh, and Ambioris Tavarez took his 3-2 fastball for a spin to lead off the inning. Tavarez's fifth homerun of the season made it a 2-0 lead. The eight-and-nine-hole hitters, Ogans and Mac Guscette, buttressed Tavarez's homer with back-to-back doubles, extending the lead to three. Keshawn added his third hit of the contest the following inning, finishing 3-for-4 with a run scored. The bottom three of Angel Flores' July 8th lineup finished a combined 5-for-11 with two runs scored and two driven in.

Tuesday's 4-0 win was shutout no.10 for the Emperors, tying the Hudson Valley Renegades (NYY) and the Quad Cities River Bandits (KCR) for the most in the High-A classification. As of the morning of July 9th, only the Erie Seawolves (DET Double-A) and the Lakeland Flying Tigers (DET Single-A) have won as many series openers as the Emperors, who are now 11-3 on Tuesdays.

Herick Hernandez (1-4, 4.50) takes the ball in game two on Wednesday, which is set for 7:00PM ET.

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South Atlantic League Stories from July 9, 2025


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