ROME – In the longest outing of his professional career, Hurston Waldrep punched out ten Greensboro Grasshoppers in the 4-2 victory Saturday night.
After Waldrep struck out the side in the first, Kevin Kilpatrick Jr. led off the home half of the inning with a walk and would come around to score on Nacho Alvarez’s 23 double of the year. Geraldo Quintero laced a single into centerfield to bring around Alvarez to put the Braves up 2-0.
That lead would double two innings later after Alvarez launched his seventh round-tripper of the year out to left center. The solo shot from Nacho was followed by a Drake Baldwin double, his 24th of the season. Justin Janas then began what would be a three-hit night with a single over the head of the first baseman which brought home Baldwin.
A fielding error from Rome in the fourth opened the door for two ‘Hoppers to cross the plate on a double from Greensboro’s Luke Brown. Waldrep came back out in the fifth and sat down the first two batters he faced on strikes before handing the ball to Tyree Thompson. Thompson picked-up a well-deserved win after 2.1 innings of scoreless baseball got the Braves to the eighth. From there, it was Shay Schanaman who, in his High-A debut, worked two scoreless frames to pick the save.
Rome eyes a series victory tomorrow behind Ian Mejia. Sunday’s game is scheduled for 1:00 pm EDT.
