Hot Rods Drop Third Straight, Lose to Asheville 9-4 on Thursday
May 27, 2021 - South Atlantic League (SAL)
Bowling Green Hot Rods News Release
Asheville, North Carolina - Ruben Cardenas extended his on-base streak to 18 and hit streak eight games as the Bowling Green Hot Rods (12-9) dropped their third-straight game against the Asheville Tourists (11-9) by a score of 9-4 Thursday night at McCormick Field in Asheville, North Carolina. The two teams play again Friday with a 5:35 PM CT first pitch.
The Hot Rods offense jumped on Asheville starter Mark Moclair in the top of the first after loading the bases. Pedro Martinez and Jonathan Aranda both walked and, two outs later, Jordan Qsar walked to load the bases. Niko Hulsizer worked a third BG walk to force home a run, giving the Hot Rods an early 1-0 lead.
Michael Mercado held the Tourists scoreless until the bottom of the fourth, where Asheville scored three runs. Matthew Barefoot hit a solo home run with one out to score the first run for the Tourists. With two outs, Freudis Nova walked and Luis Santana singled. Ramiro Rodriguez singled home Nova and, in the next at-bat, Alex Mckenna singled and scored Santana to give Asheville a 3-1 edge.
Asheville got onto the scoreboard again in the sixth inning against Bowling Green relievers Tanner Dodson and Michael Costanzo, scoring five runs. The Hot Rods scored two runs off Asheville pitcher Juan Pablo Lopez in the seventh. With two outs, Aranda singled and Ruben Cardenas walked. Grant Witherspoon singled home Aranda and moved Cardenas to second. Tourists reliever Devin Conn entered the game and walked Qsar to load the bases. Cardenas came home on a passed ball to cut the Asheville lead to 8-3.
The Tourists added one more run in the eighth inning off Costanzo to increase their lead to 9-3. Cardenas hit a solo home run off Conn in the ninth, but that was all the Hot Rods could muster, losing 9-4.
Mercado (0-3) pitched 3.2 innings, giving up three runs on five hits, while walking two and striking out two in his third loss of the season. Dodson tossed 1.2 innings, allowing four hits and three runs (two earned) while striking out two and walking two. Costanzo hurled 1.2 innings, surrendering two hits, three runs, with two earned and allowed two walks while striking out four. Cristofer Ogando threw 1.0 scoreless inning, giving up one hit and striking out two.
Notes: Cardenas extended his on-base streak to 18 games... He has reached base in every game he has played for Bowling Green this season... Cardenas also extended his hitting streak to eight games... Witherspoon collected his team-leading 18th RBI this season... Aranda had his sixth multi-hit game this season... He was the only Hot Rod to have multiple hits... Qsar walked three times, tying his season-high... Bowling Green walked nine times, falling one short of their season-high... The Hot Rods lineup had double-digit strikeouts for the 15th time this season... BG is 4-3 this in their road grey uniforms... This is the third-straight loss for Bowling Green... It sets a new season high... Bowling Green has not lost a series this season and now has to win the next three to tie the series... The Hot Rods and Tourists play the fourth game of a six-game series Friday... First pitch will be at 5:35 PM CT... Bowling Green will send RH Peyton Battenfield (1-0, 0.00) against Asheville's RH Blair Henley (0-2, 5.40).
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