Hornell Sweeps Indians on the Road

by Scott Montesano
Rome Indians Marketing Intern

(Hornell, NY) Ever since the Hornell Dodgers entered the NYCBL in 1994, Maple City Park has been a place of horrors for the Rome Indians.

Something seemingly goes wrong during every visit Rome has had to make to Stueben County. At times one must wonder if the place simply has ghosts looking out for the home team.

Anyone in need of proof need only look at Saturday’s doubleheader. Hornell took a 9-2 victory in game one before pulling off a dramatic 6-5 last-at-bat comeback, in the nightcap in front of 150 fans at Maple City Park.

In the nightcap, Rome broke a 4-4 tie in the top of the seventh inning when Jeremy O’Neil executed a suicide squeeze bunt to score Terron Acuff and give the Indians a 5-4 lead. Nevertheless, in the bottom of the inning, Hornell would send the local fans home happy with some last inning dramatics. Rome starting pitcher Joe Brown was able to strikeout Nate Trumm to start the inning, but then walked the number-nine hitter Matt Ledbetter.

Phil Napolitan followed with a weak grounder to the first basemen Kevin Ryan, who attempted to turn a game-ending double-play. However, on the throw to second, the ball sailed into left-field allowing Ledbetter to go to third and putting runners at the corners. Brown settled down to strikeout Chip Briggs, but walked Kory Knell to load the bases for cleanup hitter Austin Easely.

On an 0-2 pitch, Easely hit what appeared to be a game ending ground ball to shortstop Matt Devins, but just before the ball reached Devins it took a jack-rabbit bounce over his head and into the outfield.

The odd base-hit allowed two runs to score and give the Dodgers the 6-5 win. Brown was the tough-luck loser for the Indians, going the diatance and allowing four earned runs on just three hits in the process. Acuff finished the game with two doubles and two stolen bases.

In the opener, Hornell plated five runs in the first inning off Indians’ starter Matt Gunnesch and never looked back. The Dodgers scored five runs in the first, and added two in the second to jump out to a 7-0 lead. Rome would get on the board in the fourth with a sacrifice fly by Ryan that scored Damian Blakeley.

Hornell would tack on two more runs in the fourth, before Rome ended the scoring in the seventh when Sam Cone scored via an infield error.

With the losses, the Indians are sub .500 for the first time since early in the 2000 season. The Indians’ road trip continues with a 3PM doubleheader at Geneva on Sunday. Rome’s home opener is Tuesday June 11 against Mohawk Valley at 7PM.

Box Score

Game 1

Rome	000	100	0	-	2	4	0
Hornell	520	200	x	-	7	13	2

Rome: Matt Gunnesch (0-1)
Hornell: Grady Hinchman (1-0)

2B: Rome – Damian Blakeley
    Hornell – Rich Canuso
3B: Hornell – Kory Knell

LOB: Rome 6
     Hornell 9

Time: 2:25

Game 2

Rome	003	010	1	-	5	6	3
Hornell	004	000	2	-	6	3	3

Rome: Brown (0-1)
Hornell: Andy Leakey (1-0)

2B: Rome - Terron Acuff (2)
HR: Rome – Steven Suarez (1)

LOB: Rome 6
     Hornell 5

Time 2:25