Hot Rods Blast Off, Three Homers Help Beat Grasshoppers 9-6
May 31, 2025 - South Atlantic League (SAL)
Bowling Green Hot Rods News Release
Greensboro, North Carolina - Daniel Vellojin, Emilien Pitre, and Aidan Smith all left the park, powering the Bowling Green Hot Rods (27-22) to a 9-6 win over the Greensboro Grasshoppers (33-16) on Saturday at First National Bank Field in Greensboro, North Carolina.
Bowling Green opened the scoring in the top of the first inning against Greensboro Starter Connor Wietgrefe. Adrian Santana led off with a single and Smith walked. Pitre hit into a fielder's choice, putting runners at the corners. Mac Horvath grounded out, scoring Santana, giving Bowling Green a 1-0 lead.
The Hot Rods offense exploded in the top of the second with Wietgrefe still on the mound. Ryan Cermak led off the inning with a walk and Vellojin launched a two-run homer. Two outs later, Santana and Smith kept the offense rolling with base hits. Pitre clobbered a three-run homer to right, putting the Hot Rods on top, 6-0.
Greensboro plated their first run in the bottom of the second inning against Bowling Green starter Gary Gill Hill. With two outs, Duce Gourson doubled, and PJ Hilson drove him in with a base hit, making it a 6-1 game.
The Grasshoppers added on two more against Gill Hill in the bottom of the fourth. Gourson collected a one-out single, and Geovanny Planchart cleared the bases with a two-run homer, making it a 6-3 game. Greensboro scored again in the fifth on a two-run homer from Omar Alfonso, making it a one-run game, 6-5.
Bowling Green finally responded in the top of the sixth inning against Greensboro reliever JP Massey. Raudelis Martinez walked, Santana reached on a fielder's choice, and Smith crushed a three-run homer, improving Bowling Greens lead to 9-5. The Grasshoppers plated a run on an RBI single from Jesus Castillo in the bottom of the sixth, bringing the score to 9-6.
The final three innings were scoreless on both sides, with the Hot Rods getting 2.0 scoreless innings from Jonalbert Rumbol, locking up a 9-6 Bowling Green win.
Gill Hill (2-4) picked up his second win of the season, going 5.0 innings, allowing five runs on seven hits while striking out four and walking one. Wietgrefe (0-2) was given the loss, surrendering six runs on six hits and two walks over 1.2 innings. Rumbol (1) earned his first save of the season, pitching 2.0 scoreless frames, letting up just two hits and one walk while striking out two.
The Hot Rods and Grasshoppers play the finale of the series on Sunday with a 1:00 PM CT first pitch at First National Bank Park. Bowling Green will send out RHP Hayden Snelsire (2-0, 1.72) against Greensboro RHP Hung Leng Cheng (2-2, 6.31).
Fans can catch all the action by watching on MiLB.tv, listening through the MiLB First Pitch App and BGHotRods.com. Fans can also secure their seats for future home Hot Rods games by calling (270) 901-2121, visiting the Bowling Green Ballpark box office during normal business hours, or going to www.bghotrods.com.
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