Stevens’ Blast Caps 4-1 Win Over Tourists

ROME, GA - Eliezel Stevens tallied six total bases and two RBIs in the Rome Braves’ 4-1 victory over Asheville Saturday evening.

Three walks in the Braves first turn at the plate allowed the game’s opening run to cross the plate on a wild pitch. A solo shot from Houston’s no.2 prospect, Jacob Melton, brought the Tourists back even. Doubles from Ehire Adrianza, Adam Zebrowski, and Eliezel Stevens would all be for naught, as the Braves struggled to capitalize with runners in scoring position. That is, up until the seventh inning when Geraldo Quintero slapped a single into right field and Adrianza broke the tie the very next at-bat.

Insurance would come in the eighth. After a Kadon Morton two out single to right, Eliezel Stevens sent a 404-foot homerun into the Georgia night. Adrianza finished the night 2-for-3 with one run scored and one driven in. Stephen Paolini and Drake Baldwin also found the hit column in game five.

As a staff, Rome scattered five hits over nine innings and punched out 12. In his fourth start of the year, Tyler Owens was flawless. The right-hander struck out four and did not allow a baserunner in three innings of work. Vienna, Virginia native Patrick Halligan accounted for half of the team’s strikeouts in just 3.2 innings of relief before turning things over to Benjamin Dum who would be tabbed with the win. Closer Rob Griswold handled the ninth inning with ease, picking up his second save of the campaign.

The Braves eye a potential series victory tomorrow in the sixth and final game against the Tourists. The first pitch is slated for 1:00 pm EDT.