SAL Bowling Green Hot Rods

Hot Rods Fall 6-5 in Series Opener on Tuesday

Published on May 19, 2021 under South Atlantic League (SAL)
Bowling Green Hot Rods News Release


Rome, Georgia - The Bowling Green Hot Rods (9-4) dropped the first game of the series against the Rome Braves (8-5) by a 6-5 score on Tuesday night at State Mutual Stadium. They take on the Braves again in the second game of six, with a 6:00 PM CT first pitch on Wednesday.

The Hot Rods got onto the scoreboard first in the second inning. Jonathan Aranda walked, and Niko Hulsizer doubled him in off Braves starter Tanner Lawson, giving Bowling Green a 1-0 edge.

Rome battled back in the bottom of the third inning. Garrison Schwartz led off with a single and was brought in by a Michael Harris single off Hot Rods starter Jacob Lopez. Bryce Ball singled to move Harris to third and Logan Brown knocked him in with a sacrifice fly, giving Rome a 2-1 lead.

The Braves didn't wait long before scoring again, bringing another run across in the bottom of the fourth. Beau Phillip led off with a single and moved up to third on a throwing error by Hot Rods catcher Blake Hunt on a pickoff attempt at first base. After a pitching change, Cody Milligan singled him home off Zack Trageton, taking a 3-1 lead.

Andrew Moritz helped add to the Braves lead in the bottom of the sixth, leading off with a double. Milligan singled him in, collecting his second RBI of the night and bringing Rome's lead to 4-1.

Bowling Green tied the game in the top of the seventh after Braves reliever Davis Schwab hit Pedro Martinez and walked Greg Jones before being pulled. Hunt hit a two-run double off the Braves new pitcher, Marrick Crouse. After two more back-to-back walks, Jonathan Aranda hit a sacrifice fly to left field, scoring Hunt and tying the game at 4-4.

Rome immediately took the lead back after Harris reached on a fielder's choice and Ball hit a two-run home run. The Braves took a 6-4 lead into the top of the eighth inning, where Bowling Green loaded the bases. Grant Witherspoon led off the with a single, Tanner Dodson singled, and Martinez walked to load the bases for Jones. He hit a sacrifice fly to score Witherspoon and bring the Hot Rods within run at 6-5. The Hot Rods failed to score in the top of the ninth, with Rome taking a 6-5 victory in the first game of the series.

Lopez made his second start of the season and had a no-decision after pitching 3.1 innings, giving up two earned runs on seven hits and striking out five. Trageton (0-1) picked up his first loss of the season, tossing 3.2 innings and giving up three earned runs on four hits while striking out three. Cristofer Ogando pitched 1.0 inning, giving up one hit and striking out one.

Notes: Lopez has struck out five in each of his first three appearances... He's gone 3.1 innings in back-to-back outings... Lopez threw a season-high 63 pitches... He had not allowed a base hit to a left-handed hitter heading into Tuesday's game... He allowed six hits to lefties in the game... Hulsizer and Dodson both got their first hits of the season... Hulsizer tied a team-high with two doubles in a game... He joins Jordan Qsar and Hunt... Hunt had his third multi-RBI game of the season... Seven Hot Rods earned walks in the game... Three BG hitters were walked twice... They totaled 10 free-passes for the game, a new season-high... BG tied their season-high for runners left on base with 12... The Hot Rods bullpen hasn't issued a walk in the last four games... Bowling Green is 2-1 in games that open a series this season... Their all-time record against the Braves is 8-5... Tuesday's loss snaps a five-game winning streak against Rome that dates back to 2009... BG is 6-2 on the road against Rome All-time... The Hot Rods are 2-2 in one-run games... The Hot Rods and Braves continue their six-game series on Wednesday with a 6:00 PM CT first pitch... Bowling Green will send RH Jayden Murray (0-0, 0.00) to the mound against Braves RH Ricky DeVito (0-1, 2.00)... Fans can catch all of the action through the MiLB First Pitch app, tuning into WBGN 94.5 FM and 1340 AM, or visiting https://www.milb.com/bowling-green/fans/audio-listen-live.

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South Atlantic League Stories from May 19, 2021


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