Final game with RiverDogs washed out

z Rome starts a road series with Columbia today in South Carolina.

Hopes of salvaging a split in what had become a tough first homestand of the second half of the season were washed away Thursday for the Rome Braves.

A heavy downpour about two hours before the scheduled first pitch led to unplayable field conditions, according to team officials, and Rome’s tilt against the Charleston RiverDogs at State Mutual Stadium was cancelled.

The South Atlantic League does not require teams to make up games that are postponed, and the Braves and RiverDogs do not play each other the rest of the season, so no make-up game will be scheduled. This is the first time this season Rome has had to completely cancel a game.

The skies cleared up for nearly an hour after the initial storm, but with more on the way and the outfield already showing signs of standing water, the game was officially called after a 13-minute delay.

Fans with tickets for Thursday’s game can redeem them for tickets to any future regular season Rome Braves game, based on availability.

Rome entered Thursday hoping to snap a two-game losing streak after getting blown out by Charleston 11-3 and 14-1 on Tuesday and Wednesday. The losses put the Braves at 3-4 for the second half, tied for fourth in the SAL Southern division and two games behind division leaders Charleston and the Asheville Tourists.

The Braves hit the road today to start a four-game series with the Columbia Fireflies, their first series against the team since April. The Fireflies took two out of three from Rome at State Mutual Stadium in the fourth series of the season.

Rome returns to State Mutual Stadium on Tuesday to begin a three-game series with the Greenville Drive. The Independence Day game starts at 7 p.m. and will be followed by postgame fireworks.