Hot Rods Game Notes
July 23, 2021 - South Atlantic League (SAL)
Bowling Green Hot Rods News Release
Bowling Green is looking to set a franchise record after tying the record on Thursday with the team's 10th-straight victory.
Yesterday... Michael Mercado struck out seven batters, tying a career-high and helping the Hot Rods win their 10th consecutive game in a 6-3 win over the Braves. Pedro Martinez had an RBI single in the first inning to take a 1-0 lead. Jacson McGowan and Michael Gigliotti had back-to-back doubles in the second, and Gigliotti scored on a Greg Jones ground ball to take a 3-0 lead. Jordan Qsar headlined the seventh inning with a two-run double, leading to a 6-2 win.
Record-Streak... Bowling Green tied their franchise record for their longest win streak with 10 games in the 6-2 win over the Braves. The streak ties the record set by the Hot Rods in 2018 & 2019. The streak started on July 11th in Rome against the Braves, and the Hot Rods carried it through the first half of the homestand, sweeping Winston-Salem in a six-game series. The Hot Rods offense is putting up 5.5 runs per game and the pitching staff has posted a 2.60 ERA over that span.
Jumping For July... Through the first three series of July, the Hot Rods lineup has hit .266 while the pitching staff has put up a 3.09 ERA. .266 is the highest batting average that Bowling Green has posted so far, beating their .251 they finished with in May. With seven games left in July, the pitching staff has given up 31 fewer runs than the first two months, maintaining a monthly low 3.09 ERA.
Familiar Faces... The Braves and Hot Rods have played 27 times this season, with Bowling Green leading the series 19-8. The offense is batting .229 against Rome but has hit 29 of their homers this season with Braves pitchers on the mound. Hot Rods pitching has been sharp when facing Rome as well, posting a team ERA of 2.62 with 252 strikeouts in their 27 games pitched.
Getting the Call Up... Both of the Hot Rods June Player and Pitcher of the Month are now playing in AA Montgomery. OF Niko Hulsizer received the call up to AA on July 13th after hitting .248 with 13 homers in 44 games. RHP Jayden Murray was called up on July 20th after posting a 7-1 and a High-A East leading 1.72 in 12 starts. Overall, Bowling Green has had nine players called up to the AA level in 2021.
Yesterday's Notes... Mercado set his season-high for strikeouts with 7... This also ties his career-high... Mead had his fourth multi-hit game of the year... This is his first game with three hits... Qsar had his eighth multi-RBI performance of the season... Bowling Green tied their franchise record with the 10th consecutive win... This is the third-consecutive season the Hot Rods have compiled a win streak of 10 games... It's the fifth-straight season with a win streak of nine or more games... Their streak dates back to July 11th in Rome... BG is 19-8 this season against the Braves... The Hot Rods are 15-5 this season against left-handed pitchers... Bowling Green is 30-12 this year when scoring first... They are 32-2 when outhitting opponents...
Now pitching: Jacob Lopez... The lefty is coming off a career-high 10 strikeouts in his last performance, surrendering two hits over 5.0 innings in his third win of the year. Lopez currently leads the High-A East in strikeouts with 80. He is also at the top of Bowling Green's staff in K/9, striking out 14.40 batters per nine innings. This is the most for active and past Hot Rods, topping Peyton Battenfield's 14.00 K/9 before being promoted.
South Atlantic League Stories from July 23, 2021
- Hot Rods Set Franchise Record with 11th Straight Win in Walk-Off on Friday - Bowling Green Hot Rods
- Cottam Ropes Walk-Off RBI Double for 3-2 Victory - Greenville Drive
- Gonzo & Ginn Lead BKLYN to 4th Straight Win - Brooklyn Cyclones
- Dash Snap Three-Game Win Streak in 9-5 Loss to Jersey Shore - Winston-Salem Dash
- Volpe Homers in Renegades Loss to IronBirds - Hudson Valley Renegades
- Play Suspended Due to Rain, Double-Header Scheduled for Saturday - Asheville Tourists
- Hot Rods Game Notes - Bowling Green Hot Rods
- Winston-Salem Dash Game Notes (July 23) - Winston-Salem Dash
- JPMorgan Chase and the Blue Rocks Partner to Honor Essential Businesses, Non-Profits and First Responders - Wilmington Blue Rocks
- The 'Clones Are Hot: Brooklyn Wins 3rd Straight - Brooklyn Cyclones
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