Jeff McNeil, 2-5 with a double, single, 1 R, 3 RBI’s. Now batting .345

Game two of the four game series between the Savannah Sand Gnats and the Rome Braves was played in front of 2,601 fans Friday evening at Grayson Stadium. Rome rallied in the 9th inning to win 7-6.

In the first inning, Rome got the scoring started early as second baseman Ross Wilson led off the game with a single and would later score on a double by Braves shortstop Johan Camargo.

Savannah would score in the third inning, when Jeff McNeil hit a two-run single, giving the SandGnats an early 2-1 lead. The lead would hold up for only two innings.

In the fifth inning, Rome scored twice to take a 3-2 lead, on a single, two walks, and two hit batters. Savannah would answer with three runs of their own to regain the lead 5-3.

A home run in the seventh by Rome’s first baseman Jake Schrader, and an additional run in the eighth would tie the game at five and give the appearance of a second game in a row decided in extra innings.

Rome would strike again scoring two runs in the ninth inning, on back-to-back walks and a triple by left fielder Blake Brown (4 for 5) to take a 7-5 lead.

Savannah would get one of them back when second baseman L.J. Mazzilli singled and scored on a double by right fielder Stefan Sabol. The Sand Gnats would come up short in their comeback attempt, losing the game 7-6.

The SandGnats received plenty of offense recording 13 hits for the game with leading hitter Jeff McNeil, going 2-for-5, scoring a run and driving in three.

The third game of the series starts at 6:05pm Saturday at Grayson Stadium.