Baker Legs Out Inside-The-Park Homer, Hot Rods Pound Drive 11-3
Published on June 24, 2023 under South Atlantic League (SAL)
Bowling Green Hot Rods News Release
Bowling Green, Kentucky - Dru Baker sprinted around the bases for a go-ahead inside-the-park home run, carrying the Bowling Green Hot Rods (32-31) to a 11-3 win over the Greenville Drive (37-31) on Saturday at Bowling Green Ballpark.
The Drive scored first in the top of the first inning against Hot Rods starter Duncan Davitt. Eddinson Paulino and Brainer Bonaci notched back-to-back singles to put runners on first and second. Both runners stole and a Kenny Piper throwing error allowed Bonaci to score. In the bottom of the second, Eduardo Lopez reached on a throwing error from Blake Robertson and later scored on a throwing error by Willy Vasquez to make it a 2-0 ballgame.
The Bowling Green offense exploded in the bottom of the fourth off Greenville starter Angel Bastardo. Nick Schnell worked a walk and came around to score on an RBI double from Kameron James that cut the deficit to one. Jalen Battles plated James on a single to center, tying the game at 2-2. The Hot Rods went up 4-2 on a two-run inside- the-park home run off the bat of Dru Baker.
In the bottom of the sixth, the Hot Rods scored again off Drive reliever Graham Hoffman. James and Battles notched back-to-back singles to put runners on first and third. Baker laid down a bunt single, scoring James to increase the lead to 5-2. After Brock Jones walked to load the bases, Willy Vasquez smacked a sacrifice fly to left that scored Battles to make it 6-2.
Kenny Piper singled and Schnell doubled to put runners on second and third to lead-off the bottom of the seventh. A fielding error by Paulino allowed Piper to score and make it a 7-2 ballgame. After Schnell moved up to third on a sacrifice fly from Blake Robertson, he scored on a wild pitch to increase the Hot Rods lead to 8-2. Brock Jones capped the inning off by blasting a three-run homer over the right field wall.
Greenville scored a run in the top of the ninth off Hot Rods reliever Tony Locey, but they were shut out the rest of the way to complete the game, 11-3.
Haden Erbe (1-2) collected the win, striking out four over 3.0 shutout innings. Bastardo (0-5) took the loss, letting up four runs on five hits, two walks, and seven strikeouts over 5.0 innings.
Bowling Green and Greenville play the finale of a six-game series on Sunday with first pitch set for 6:35 PM CT. The Hot Rods are set to start RHP Ben Peoples (3-5, 3.57), while the Drive have yet to announce a starter.
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.
South Atlantic League Stories from June 24, 2023
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