The rain, an unwanted guest throughout the day, stayed away Thursday night, and Savannah Sand Gnats employee Claire Dykes took her place at the craft beer station at Grayson Stadium.
Nearby, a pep band played and fans entering the stadium stopped to listen.
The children’s air-inflated bouncy house outside the stadium held the attention of 10-year-old Fayha Polite.
Professional baseball was back in the swing of things to start the 2013 South Atlantic League season in Savannah.
“It’s a time when the days get longer and it starts to get warmer,” Dykes said. “It’s time for fun at the ballpark.”
A festive night was soured a little when the Rome Braves, the Class A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves, rallied for a 5-3 win over the Gnats.
Felix Marte spoiled the home team’s winning script when he ripped a two-run double off Hunter Carnevale to break a tie in the eighth inning.
Postgame fireworks lit up the night as the closing curtain to opening-day festivities.
“I think we played with a lot of energy,” Savannah manager Luis Rojas said, finding the positive in the first of 140 games the Gnats are scheduled to play this season.
No one gives up on the season after losing the first game.
But it would have been natural to give up on playing a game when all the weather forecasts predicted rain throughout the day.
“If you had asked me yesterday, I would have thought there was no chance we’d get the game in,” Gnats president John Katz said. “There was a 100 percent chance of rain, but the weather is so unpredictable here.”
Savannah was also unpredictable on opening night. The Gnats had only three hits heading into the sixth inning before striking for three runs.
Jayce Boyd’s two-run double keyed the inning. Cole Frenzel put Savannah ahead 3-2 with a sacrifice fly.
But the Braves matched the Gnats’ three-run inning with a three-run eighth.
An error and hits by Aris Alcantra and Tyler Tewell knotted the game, and Marte lined a double that rolled to the left-center wall for the game winner.
Business was a little slow for Dykes. Patrons on Thirsty Thursday often prefer the two-for-one draft beer special.
It wasn’t the best start for the Gnats, but the weather cooperated and fans and workers seemed enthusiastic.
“I have a desk job, so doing this and interacting with the fans is fun,” said Dykes, who works as a graphics designer at Coggins Promotional Advertising.
Polite, who attends Garrison School in Savannah, looked forward to the game.
“Especially, when it’s the start of the season,” she said.
That’s just natural for everyone, even the players, Rojas said.
“It seems like it’s a big game,” Rojas said. “It’s your first at-bat, your first game. There’s a little more emotion.”
Despite the loss, Savannah had several noteworthy performances. Brandon Nimmo, the Mets’ No. 1 pick of the 2011 draft, reached base three times with two hits and a walk.
Boyd had three hits, including the two-run double, and scooped two balls out of the dirt at first base to save a couple of errors.
And starter Matthew Bowman pitched well, holding Rome scoreless until the fifth inning by mixing pitches well.
For Rome, Tewell had three hits and was in the middle of two of the Braves’ three scoring innings. Levi Hyams reached base four times with two hits and two walks.
Francois Lafreniere, the third of five Rome pitchers, notched the win. Shae Simmons pitched a one-two-three ninth to record the save.
Bret Mitchell took the loss for Savannah.
The Gnats and Braves will be back in action tonight at 7:05 before leaving for a two-game set in Rome.
Rome ab r h bi Savannah ab r h bi
Mueller cf 5 0 1 1 Zurcher 2b 4 1 1 0
Peraza ss 4 0 1 0 Nimmo cf 3 1 2 0
Hyams 2b 3 0 2 0 Boyd 1b 4 1 3 2
Luna 2b 0 0 0 0 Plawecki c 3 0 1 0
Elander lf 5 0 0 0 Frenzel 3b 3 0 0 1
Franco 3b 5 0 2 0 Sabol lf 4 0 0 0
Sanchez 1b 5 2 1 0 Pron dh 4 0 1 0
Alcantara dh 4 1 1 0 Evans ss 3 0 0 0
Tewell c 5 2 3 1 Pina rf 3 0 0 0
Marte rf 4 0 1 2
Totals 40 5 12 4 Totals 31 3 8 3
Rome 000 011 030 — 5
Savannah 000 003 000 — 3
E—Franco, Evans 2, Frenzel. DP—Rome 3, Savannah 1. LOB—Rome 12, Savannah 5. 2B—Hyams, Pron, Tewell 2, Mueller, Sanchez, Boyd, Marte. SF—Frenzel. SB—Peraza, Hyams, Mueller. CS—Evans.
ROME IP H R ER BB SO
Briceno 5 5 2 2 1 1
Garcia 1 1 1 1 1 0
Lafreniere W,1-0 1 0 0 0 1 2
Jadofsky 1 2 0 0 0 2
Simmons S,1 1 0 0 0 0 1
SAVANNAH IP H R ER BB SO
Bowman 5 1/3 7 2 1 2 5
Mitchell L,0-1 2 4 3 2 0 4
Carnevale 1 2/3 1 0 0 2 4
WP—Briceno, Bowman, Garcia 2. T—2:48. A—2,509.