SAL Bowling Green Hot Rods

Bolidos de Bowling Green Game Notes

Published on August 27, 2022 under South Atlantic League (SAL)
Bowling Green Hot Rods News Release


So Close to a Comeback... Home runs dictated the offense for both squads, with Nate Soria's three-run blast giving BG a lead in the sixth, but a four-run seventh proved to be enough for Rome. The Hot Rods came close to a tie ballgame, with Mason Auer and Alexander Ovalles both reaching after being hit by Braves reliever Austin Smith with one out in the ninth. Auer scored on a wild pitch and Heriberto Hernandez put BG within one with an RBI double, but Rome held off the late rally. Soria and Hernandez each recorded two hits, with Soria's homer tying a career-high with three RBIs. Kyle Whitten kept the Hot Rods in the game late, tossing 2.0 shutout innings with two strikeouts.

Yesterday's Notes... Workman set a new career-high with three walks... Bowling Green is now one game ahead of Rome in the overall division standings... Soria tied his career-high with three RBIs... He has homered in consecutive series for the first time... Hernandez has reached base in 23-straight games, the third-longest streak in the league... Auer has a 22-game on-base-streak, fourth-longest in the league...

Bosses of the Basepaths... Bowling Green has three players who have reached base in 15 consecutive games. Heriberto Hernandez leads the way with the fourth-best active streak in the league, reaching base 43 times in 23 consecutive games. Mason Auer is reaching base at a rate of almost twice per game this month, with an on-base streak of 22 games and 42 times reached over that span. Alexander Ovalles has reached base in each of his last 19 games as well.

Oh Wow Ovalles... Alexander Ovalles has been on fire for Bowling Green since the All-Star Break, slashing .319/.421/.659 with seven of his 12 homers on the year in 25 games since the Midsummer Classic. His plate discipline has been as impressive as his power, striking out just 15 times in 107 plate appearances with 18 RBIs over that same span. He has really turned a corner in August, going 19-61 with hits in all but two games of the 16 he's played this month.

Potential Playoff Preview... With 14 games left in the regular season, Bowling Green and Rome seem destined to meet in the playoffs in 2022. Bowling Green locked up their playoff spot with a First-Half South Division Championship back in June, but Rome has been red-hot in the second half of the season. The Braves are a league-best 32-16 in the second half, 4.5 games ahead of Bowling Green in the second half standings. BG began the series with a 1.0 game edge on the Braves in the overall South Division standings. The two teams are fighting for the best overall record in the SAL as well, with Bowling Green owning the top mark at 70-45 and Rome has the third-best record at 68-47. BG and Rome split the series at Bowling Green back in April, and each team won four of six once in the two series played at Rome.

Playoff Ready... With the Hot Rods clinching their spot in the 2022 SAL Playoffs, tickets for the postseason games at Bowling Green Ballpark have gone on sale. The Divisional Round will begin on Tuesday, September 13 at the second-half South Division Champion's ballpark before game two of the series will be at Bowling Green Ballpark on Thursday, September 15. If game three is necessary, the Hot Rods will host that game on Friday, September 16. In the event the Hot Rods advance to the League Championship, they'll host game-one on Sunday, September 18 before finishing the series on the road on Tuesday, September 20 and Wednesday, September 21at the North Division's winner.

Clinched!... BG finished the first half leading their division for the third time in club history, clinching a playoff spot with 2018's Midwest League Champions and again in 2011. (there were no halves in 2021). The 2011 team finished the first leg of the season with a 41-29 record while the 2018 Hot Rods set a franchise record with 47 wins in the first half and a record of 47-22. The 2022 club became the third Hot Rods team to the 40-win mark in a half.

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South Atlantic League Stories from August 27, 2022


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