Baker Homers Three Times in Hot Rods' Doubleheader Sweep
August 4, 2023 - South Atlantic League (SAL)
Bowling Green Hot Rods News Release
Winston-Salem, North Carolina - The Bowling Green Hot Rods (20-14, 51-44) swept a doubleheader against the Winston-Salem Dash (12-21, 46-50) taking game one 6-0, and game two 10-5, on Friday at Truist Stadium.
In game one, the Hot Rods offense struck first in the top of the first off Dash starter Connor McCullough. Carson Williams smacked a solo shot to left center field, putting Bowling Green up 1-0. In the top of the fourth, Brock Jones and Williams worked back-to-back walks to put runners on first and second. After both runners moved up to second and third on a groundout, Jones scored on a passed ball to move the score to 2-0.
Bowling Green increased the lead against McCullough in the top of the fifth. Blake Robertson and Jeffry Parra singled to put runners on first and second. Dru Baker knocked a base hit to right, moving Parra to third and plating Robertson to make it 3-0. Jones and Williams smacked back-to-back singles that each scored a run, putting the Hot Rods up 5-0.
Baker launched a solo homer off Winston-Salem reliever Everhett Hazelwood in the top of the seventh to make it 6-0. Bowling Green reliever Jeff Hakanson tossed a scoreless seventh, pushing the Hot Rods to a 6-0 victory.
Ben Peoples (4-5) earned the win, striking out six while letting up four hits and a walk over 6.0 scoreless innings. McCullough (3-3) took the loss, allowing five runs (four earned) on six hits, two walks, and six strikeouts over 5.0 frames.
In game two, Winston-Salem began the scoring in the bottom of the first off Bowling Green starter Sean Harney. Shawn Goosenberg singled and Loidel Chapelli doubled to put runners on second and third. Tim Elko singled, moving Chapelli to third and scoring Goosenberg to make it 1-0. Colby Smelley hit a sacrifice fly to right, plating Chapelli to increase the lead to 2-0.
The Hot Rods scored their first run of the game in the top of the second against Dash starter Kohl Simas. Baker blasted a solo homer to left to cut the deficit, 2-1. Winston-Salem answered back in the bottom of the third with a solo homer from D.J. Gladney to make it 3-1.
With one out in the top of the fourth, Baker homered to left to bring Bowling Green within one. Kenny Piper doubled and came around to score on an RBI double by Nick Schnell to tie the game 3-3. Robertson singled, scoring Schnell to put the Hot Rods up 4-3.
Bowling Green's offense exploded off Simas in the top of the fifth. Williams and Willy Vasquez singled to put runners on first and third. Williams scored on a wild pitch by Simas to make it a 5-3 game. After Baker reached on a fielder's choice, he stole second and third to put a runner in scoring position. Piper walked and Schnell smacked a sacrifice fly to left, plating Baker to increase the lead to 6-3. Kamren James walked and Robertson doubled to score two runs and put the Hot Rods up 8-3.
Winston-Salem answered back against Bowling Green reliever Austin Vernon in the bottom of the sixth. Smelley drove in two runs on an RBI double to cut the deficit to 8-5.
The Hot Rods added some insurance off Dash reliever Jake Palisch in the top of the seventh. Jones smoked a two RBI triple to right, making it a 10-5 game.
Vernon (6-2) notched the win, allowing two runs on two hits, two walks, and four strikeouts over 2.0 innings. Simas (5-7) took the loss, letting up six runs (five earned) on 11 hits, a walk, and eight strikeouts over 4.1 innings.
The Hot Rods and the Dash play the penultimate of a six-game series on Saturday with first pitch set for 6:00 PM CT. Bowling Green rolls out RHP Roel Garcia (4-7, 4.06), while Winston-Salem starts RHP Joismar Cousin (0-0, 4.58).
Fans can catch all the action by watching on MiLB.tv or listening through the MiLB First Pitch App, tuning into Talk 104.1 FM and 930 AM WKCT, or visiting https://www.milb.com/bowling-green/fans/audio-listen-live.
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