KEEPING SCORE: Rome Braves 2-4, Savannah Sand Gnats 0-1.
FOR THE RECORD: Rome 39-21 second half, 57-73 overall; Savannah 25-36, 66-62.
SEEING STARS: Rome second baseman Ross Heffley was an easy choice for hitting star of the seven-inning first game, which the Braves won, 2-0. Rome also won the second game, 4-1, in a doubleheader sweep before a crowd of 3,321 on Saturday Night Fireworks.
Heffley’s two-run homer in the fifth inning accounted for all of the offense. Elmer Keyes led off the inning with a single and was bunted to second by Tony Mueller. Heffley followed with a blast to left.
Robby Hefflinger (double) had the only other extra-base hit in the game. Savannah failed to move a runner past second base.
In the nightcap, the Gnats scored an unearned run on a throwing error, a walk, a flyout and Yucarybert De La Cruz’s sacrifice fly in the third for a 1-0 edge.
Hefflinger dealt the big blow for Rome, a three-run homer off Savannah starter Alex Panteliodis (4-8, 3.72 ERA) that followed William Beckwith’s RBI-single for 4-1 in the sixth.
DECISION MAKING: In the opener, Rome starter A.J. Holland (4-8, 4.00) earned the win with six shutout innings and seven strikeouts, as well as five walks. Savannah starter Yohan Almonte (0-2, 8.64) yielded five hits including the homer, two runs (earned) and three walks with three strikeouts in five innings. In the nightcap, Rome’s Greg Ross (7-8, 4.32) went all seven innings, yielding two hits, one unearned run and two walks with seven strikeouts.
ON DECK: The Sand Gnats, an affiliate of the New York Mets, play their final home game of the 2012 season at 2:05 today against the Rome Braves. Savannah then hits the road for games Tuesday through Thursday at Asheville, then Friday through Sept. 3 at Kannapolis.
Game 1
BRAVES 2, SAND GNATS 0
Rome ab r h bi Savannah ab r h bi
Mueller cf 2 0 0 0 DeLaCruz ss 4 0 0 0
Heffley 2b 4 1 2 2 Gomez cf 3 0 0 0
Beckwith 1b 3 0 0 0 Maron dh 2 0 0 0
Hfflingr lf 2 0 2 0 Lawley 3b 3 0 0 0
Kubitza 3b 3 0 0 0 Pron lf 3 0 0 0
Skinner dh 2 0 0 0 Frenzel 1b 1 0 1 0
Anslment rf 3 0 1 0 Brown 2b 2 0 1 0
Brownsten c 3 0 0 0 Cordero c 3 0 0 0
Reyes ss 3 1 1 0 Thurber rf 3 0 2 0
Totals 25 2 6 2 Totals 24 0 4 0
Rome 000 020 0 — 2
Savannah 000 000 0 — 0
LOB—Rome 6, Savannah 8. DP—Rome 1, Savannah 1. 2B—Hefflinger. HR—Heffley (4). SAC—Mueller. SB—Skinner.
ROME IP H R ER BB SO
Holland W,4-8 6 3 0 0 5 7
Hyatt S,3 1 1 0 0 0 1
SAVANNAH IP H R ER BB SO
Almonte L,0-2 5 5 2 2 3 3
West 2 1 0 0 0 1
T—1:50.
Game 2
BRAVES 4, SAND GNATS 1
Rome ab r h bi Savannah ab r h bi
Mueller cf 4 1 2 0 DeLaCruz ss 2 0 0 0
Heffley 2b 4 1 1 0 Gomez cf 3 0 0 0
Beckwith dh 3 1 1 1 Maron c 2 0 1 0
Hfflingr lf 3 1 1 3 Harrison 3b 3 0 0 0
Kubitza 3b 3 0 1 0 Lawley dh 3 0 0 0
Skinner rf 2 0 0 0 Pron lf 3 0 0 0
Drury 1b 3 0 0 0 Frenzel 1b 3 1 1 1
Query c 3 0 1 0 Tijerina 2b 2 0 0 0
De Los Santos ss 3 0 1 0 Thurber rf 3 0 0 0
Totals 28 4 8 4 Totals 24 1 2 1
Rome 000 004 0 — 4
Savannah 001 000 0 — 1
E—Heffley, Kubitza, Frenzel. LOB—Rome 4, Savannah 5. 2B—Frenzel. HR—Hefflinger (11). SAC—Skinner. SF—De La Cruz. SB—. CS—Drury.
ROME IP H R ER BB SO
Ross W,7-8 7 2 1 0 2 7
SAVANNAH IP H R ER BB SO
Panteliodis L,4-8 5 2/3 6 4 4 0 8
Morel 1 1/3 2 0 0 0 1
T—2:02. A—3,321.