Finding themselves locked in a tight division race, the Rome Braves did what any clever team would do: They picked up a ringer.

Two-time Cy Young winner and future Hall of Famer Tom Glavine temporarily joined the team on Tuesday night — and the iconic left-hander made a big impact, working six scoreless innings of three-hit ball to lead the R-Braves to a 3-0 series-opening win over the Augusta GreenJackets.

Pitching before a sell-out crowd of 5,105 at State Mutual Stadium, Glavine worked efficiently in the final stop of his rehab tour. He finished with no walks and three strikeouts.

“I felt good,” said Glavine, who is scheduled to rejoin Atlanta in the next few days and might pitch for the major-league Braves on Sunday. “It felt like early in the game I was struggling with my mechanics, with my tempo. My location wasn’t great. (But) it felt like as the game went along, everything got a little better. ... Physically, I felt good.”

Glavine’s outing was obviously a positive development in regard to the Atlanta Braves’ future.

It was also a big boost for the Rome club in the here and now.

With Tuesday’s win, the R-Braves maintained sole possession of first place in the South Atlantic League’s Southern Division. They own a half-game lead over Charleston with 19 games remaining before the All-Star break.

Too bad Glavine won’t be around to help them in the next three weeks.

“Yeah, I think that guy is ready to be called up to the majors,” joked manager Rome manager Randy Ingle about Glavine, who allowed two singles and a double in his six innings.

It was Glavine’s second consecutive scoreless outing after he’d thrown five shutout innings for the Class AAA Gwinnett Braves last Thursday.

His appearance Tuesday at SMS created a big buzz in Rome, and the crowd was easily the most vibrant of the season.

The Rome players were amped up, too.

“It was awesome having here with us … I mean, it was crazy; surreal almost,” said shortstop Ryan Barba, who hit a two-run homer in the fifth inning. “Being on the field with a future Hall of Famer — that’s a once in a lifetime experience.”

Barba finished with two of Rome’s seven hits, and Jahdiel Santamaria also had two.

Defensively, the Braves had one of their sharpest games, turning in several gems behind Glavine and reliever J.J. Hoover, who worked the final three innings to complete the Braves’ fourth shutout of the season.

“It was a lot of fun tonight,” said Barba. “It’s something I’ll never forget. I grew up watching Tom Glavine pitch, and then tonight — bam, he’s right there in front of me, on the mound.”

Glavine received defensive support from both of Rome’s corner outfielders. Luis Sumoza threw out a runner at the plate from right field in the second inning, and Santamaria made a super lunging catch for the third out of the fourth.

The Braves’ offense provided Glavine with a 1-0 lead, and it took them just two three batters to do it.

Santamaria led off the bottom of the first with a double, moved to third on an error and scored on a wild pitch.

That sole run would have been enough for Glavine and Hoover, but Barba added the two-run homer just for good measure. It was his second homer of the year.

“It was just an all-around good night for us,” said Barba.

NOTE: Glavine now joins a long list of MLB stars to rehab in Rome. John Smoltz did so last season, and Chipper Jones has also come through SMS.