News Summary
In a challenging opening game, the Hub City Spartanburgers lost to the Rome Emperors 6-3, snapping their three-game winning streak. Despite a strong pitching performance from Leandro Lopez and a home run from Dylan Dreiling, the Spartanburgers fell short. The defeat brings their record to 20-20 while the Emperors improve to 22-18. The two teams will meet again for game two of the series.
Spartanburg, S.C. – Spartanburgers Fall to Emperors 6-3 in Series Opener
The Hub City Spartanburgers lost to the Rome Emperors 6-3 in the opening game of their series on Tuesday night. Despite a strong performance from pitcher Leandro Lopez and a home run by Dylan Dreiling, the Spartanburgers were unable to continue their three-game winning streak.
The defeat leaves the Spartanburgers with a record of 20-20, while the Emperors, who are tied for the South Division lead, improved their record to 22-18.
Lopez, who took the loss, delivered a solid six-inning performance, marking a career best for complete innings pitched. He encountered trouble in the second and third innings, allowing runs, but demonstrated resilience by retiring nine consecutive batters and recording four strikeouts.
The game began with the Spartanburgers showing offensive promise, as they took an early lead in the bottom of the first inning. Keith Jones II walked, advanced to third on another walk, and later scored when Arturo Disla’s line drive was caught, permitting Jones to tag up and cross home plate.
The Emperors responded quickly in the top of the second inning when E.J. Exposito launched a solo home run, equalizing the score at 1-1. In the following innings, the Spartanburgers faced a challenge as they left the bases loaded in the second inning without further scoring, a missed opportunity that would haunt them throughout the game.
Rome took command in the top of the third inning, with Patrick Clohisy hitting a double that sent Lizandro Espinoza home from first base. This play put the Emperors ahead 2-1. Lopez then found his rhythm, pitching effectively from the third through the sixth inning without surrendering additional runs.
However, the eighth inning proved decisive for the visiting team. After Clohisy doubled, Titus Dumitru contributed an insurance run for the Emperors with a single. In a critical moment, Ambioris Tavarez hit a three-run homer, significantly extending the Emperors’ lead to 6-1.
Despite being in a tough position, the Spartanburgers attempted to mount a comeback in the bottom of the eighth. Dreiling connected for his fourth home run of the season, sending Jones home in the process. However, the Spartanburgers’ efforts to add more runs were thwarted, and they entered the final inning trailing 6-3.
In the ninth, the Spartanburgers were unable to ignite any further offense, going down in order and concluding the game with a final score of 6-3 in favor of the Emperors.
Looking ahead, the two teams will face each other again on Wednesday with game two of the series scheduled for 6:35 p.m. ET. The Spartanburgers are set to start right-hander Aidan Curry, who holds a record of 1-1 with an 8.15 ERA. The Emperors will counter with left-hander Herick Hernandez, who is currently 0-3 with a 6.67 ERA.
Fans attending the game are encouraged to arrive early, as there will be a special event featuring NASCAR Xfinity Series driver Jeremy Clements and his racecar an hour prior to the game’s start.
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Additional Resources
- MSN Sports
- Wikipedia: Minor League Baseball
- MiLB Game Recap
- Google Search: Hub City Spartanburgers
- Fox Carolina News
- Google Scholar: South Atlantic League
- MiLB Game Recap
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Baseball
