(Media release from the Rome Braves):
Daniel Martinez turns in the SAL’s first complete game shutout of the year as the Braves split the Wednesday doubleheader with the Greenville Drive.
Game One: Braves 5, Drive 0
Right hander Daniel Martinez stole the show in game one, as he became the first South Atlantic League pitcher to record a complete game shutout in 2023. Martinez sat down five Greenville hitters on strikes and only allowed three baserunners over his seven innings of work. 2022 Rome Brave, Luis De Avila accomplished the very same feat last season, hurling the first complete game shutout against none other than the Greenville Drive.
At the plate, Drake Baldwin and Keshawn Ogans continued their fabulous months of May. Baldwin smacked a solo shot to the opposite field in the bottom of the first and followed that up with a sixth inning double to score Eliezel Stevens. As for Ogans, his fifth inning double and RBI single in the sixth secured a two-hit day for the second-year infielder, something he did 22 times his last year as a Cal Bear.
Game Two: Drive 7, Braves 1
After being shutout in game one, the Drive put the screws to the Braves in the night cap. Boston’s no.10 prospect, Blaze Jordan, tallied seven total bases in the 7-1 victory for the ‘Sox High-A club. Rome’s lineup could only muster three hits in the contest, two of which came from leadoff hitter Kevin Kilpatrick who sent a no-doubter over the left field wall in the home half of the first.
Rome and Greenville prep for game four of the series, scheduled for Thursday at 7:00 pm EDT.