From RN-T, AP reports

The drought is over. The celebration is just beginning.

Alejandro Salazar had three hits and scored two runs, and Max Fried struck out 13 hitters over seven innings as the Rome Braves topped the Lakewood BlueClaws 6-1 Friday night to win the South Atlantic League Championship.

Rome won the championship series by winning the last three games after Lakewood won the opener on Monday.

It is Rome’s first championship since its inaugural season in 2003.

“I’ve been around for a few years and seen some good teams, but not this young with this much talent,” Rome manager Randy Ingle said. “Our staff has been unbelievable teaching these young guys and they’ve learned so much.”

With the postgame celebrations happening at Lakewood’s ballpark in New Jersey, the Rome Braves will host a championship celebration event for fans when the team is expected to return tonight at State Mutual Stadium at 11:30 p.m. Admission is free.

Fried (10-7) picked up the win while allowing only four hits and three walks. The southpaw was also the winning pitcher when Rome won the Southern Division Championship last week against Charleston.

It’s been a special postseason for every Rome starting pitcher. Fried, Touki Toussaint, Mike Soroka and Kolby Allard only allowed four earned runs in more than 49 innings pitched throughout the playoffs.

“Pitching was the thing that got us here and it showed tonight,” Ingle said. “Fried was awesome again with 13 strikeouts. I mean, what can I say?”

Trailing 1-0, the Braves took the lead for good with three runs in the fifth inning.

Salazar hit an RBI single and Anfernee Seymour hit an RBI double en route to a tworun lead.

Three singles and a RayPatrick Didder double led to three more runs and a 6-1 lead for Rome. After Fried retired, Josh Graham and Corbin Clouse only allowed one hit in the final two innings.

Lakewood’s Harold Arauz (6-7) went 4 1-3 innings, allowing three runs and five hits while striking out four. Grenny Cumana brought in Damek Tomscha on a double in the bottom of the fourth for the BlueClaws lone run.