Braves streaking to close out regular season
♦ Jefrey Ramos is staying hot for Rome as the team gets ready for the SAL semifinals.
The Rome Braves are taking some impressive numbers into this week’s South Atlantic League playoff matchup.
The Braves, who won the first half of the season, have won five of their last seven games, and Jefrey Ramos is leading the way for Rome as they get ready for their first-round best-of-three series against the Lexington Legends on Wednesday at 7:05 p.m.
Ramos, who didn’t play in Monday’s regular-season finale 5-4 loss against the Asheville Tourists, has homered three times in the past week, including a grand slam in an 11-7 win against the Tourists on Friday.
Ramos, who has been with the team since opening day this season, leads current players on the team with 16 home runs, 69 RBIs, 57 runs, 115 hits, 24 doubles and six triples. He finishes the regular season with a .245 batting average.
The Braves’ pitching has also been heating up as the season closes with Oldavi Javier (3-10) and Alan Rangel (5-7) striking out 15 and 13, respectively, over their last two starts. Walter Borkovich (4-1) has the lowest ERA for a Braves’ starter with a 1.83.
The Braves’ Southern Division series against Lexington will move to State Mutual Stadium on Friday at 7 p.m., with the if-necessary game Saturday at 6 p.m. at SMS.
In the Northern Division, the Lakewood BlueClaws, who the Braves defeated in the Championship Series in 2016, will travel to face the Hickory Crawdads in the Division Series.
Tickets for the Braves’ matchup are on sale now and can be bought online at https://www.milb.com/ rome/ballpark/playoff-tix, by calling 706-378-5144, or at the State Mutual Stadium box office. Advance tick-ets will cost $11 for club level, $10 for dugout level, $9 for field level, $7 for box seats and $5 for general admission. Ticket prices will increase on the day of the games.
If Rome moves on to the Championship Series, the Braves will begin play in the best-of-five series against the Northern Division champions Monday at 7 p.m. The opening two games would be played at State Mu-tual Stadium.