SAL Bowling Green Hot Rods

Hot Rods Game Notes

Published on May 14, 2021 under South Atlantic League (SAL)
Bowling Green Hot Rods News Release


On Thursday... The Asheville Tourists took down the Bowling Green Bootleggers 6-5 on Thursday night. Jimmy Endersby picked up his first win of the season for the Tourists after pitching 5.0 innings, surrendering one hit and two runs. Grant Witherspoon hit his team leading third homerun, finishing the night tied for his career high with four RBI's. Ezequiel Zabaleta was charged with his first loss and the first blown save of the season for Bowling Green.

Racking Up the K's... Bowling Green's pitching struck out 16 batters during Thursday's game. Six came from starter Jayden Murray and the bullpen added 10 during the last 5.1 innings. Asheville's pitching staff tossed 15 strikeouts, including seven from their starter Jimmy Endersby. There has yet to be a team that has recorded single digit strikeouts and the teams have combined for 80 strikeouts through the first four games of the series.

Helping the Starters... The Hot Rods offense has drove in 6.44 runs per start for their pitchers this season. Over nine starts for the Bowling Green staff, they have received 24 runs while still in the game. Overall, the offense has scored 63 runs this season and 24 of those have been while the starter has been in the game.

About Asheville... The Tourists improved to .500 on the season after their 6-5 win Thursday. This marks the sixth time this season they have scored six or more runs. Asheville also scored 12 runs in a loss against the Brooklyn Cyclones during their season opening series.

Lots of movement... The Hot Rods are already experience plenty of roster churn to start the season. Chris Muller and Niko Hulsizer went on the IL on May 8 and more changes have been made. BG adds 2018 first-rounder Greg Jones who is also the #8 prospect in the Rays system, while 2019 Hot Rods reliever Michael Costanzo joins the roster along with catcher Luis Trevino. Hot Rods home run leader, Erik Ostberg, leaves the team for AA Montgomery in the flurry of moves, as well.

Chasing Grand History... McGowan's two slams are a team-high for this season. The feat is one behind the franchise lead of three, which was last done by Chris Betts in 2019.

Thursday's Notes... Witherspoon tied a career-high with four RBIs... Witherspoon hit his third home run, tying recently promoted Erik Ostberg to the team-high this season... He's now the active team leader... Thursday was also Witherspoon's first multi-hit game of the season... Murray doubled his previous high for strikeouts this season with six... Murray threw 70 pitches, the most for a Bowling Green starter this season... BG pitchers had a streak of 19.2 scoreless innings with Alvarez behind the plate prior to Asheville's run in the fourth... He and Ruben Cardenas are the only players on Bowling Green to have hit homers on the road and at home this season... BG is 1-1 in games decided by one-run this season...

Now pitching: Joe LaSorsa... The Hot Rods lefty makes his first start for Bowling Green after appearing out of the bullpen last series. LaSorsa pitched on May 7 against the Greenville Drive, tossing 3.2 innings, and picking up the win. During his 2019 campaign, LaSorsa played for the Hudson Valley Renegades after being drafted earlier in that season. In college he pitched for St. Johns, and during his senior year he posted a record of 6-5 with a 1.66 ERA. This was the only season he started, making 26 appearances in 2018 and 21 in 2017, all out of the bullpen.

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South Atlantic League Stories from May 14, 2021


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