Rome One-Hits Catfish, Catfish Win Anyway

Rome Braves pitcher Tommy Hanson pitched a nearly masterful game against the Columbus Catfish. He threw 95 pitches in 7 innings, walked 2, hit 1, struck out 12, and allowed just one hit. But oh, that one hit.

With 2 outs, and a 1-2 count on Catfish DH Ryan Royster, Hanson's 4th pitch was sent sailing over the Tri-State sign in left field, giving the Catfish their only run ... and only hit ... of the game.

It was enough. The Catfish beat Rome, 1-0.

Catfish pitchers Jeremy Hellickson and Brian Baker combined to 4-hit Rome. Hellickson pitched 7 innings, allowing 4 hits, walking 3, and striking out 4. Baker pitched perfect 8th and 9th innings.

In the 3rd inning, back to back hits put runners on the corners for Rome with nobody out, but a fly ball to short, then a 4-3 double play got the Catfish out of trouble.

Rome put another runner in scoring position in the 6th, on a single and a passed ball wild pitch, but a fly ball and a strike out ended the inning.

The Catfish got only 3 baserunners ... other than Royster's rounding the bases on his solo shot ... in the game. In the 4th inning, 3B Cesar Suarez walked. In the 5th, 2B Brett Grandstrand was hit by a pitch. In the 6th, CF Desmond Jennings walked, went to second on a wild pitch, and stole third, but was stranded there. And that was it before Royster's home run.

The win is the 13th in 16 games with Rome this season, and gives the Catfish this series, 3 games to 1.

The Catfish remains in second place, 3-1/2 games out. Tonight's game between Augusta and Asheville will determine if it changes to 3 or 4 games out, but they're in second, regardless.

Tomorrow, the Catfish open a 4-game series with Charleston.