Hot Rods Game Notes
June 23, 2022 - South Atlantic League (SAL)
Bowling Green Hot Rods News Release
Tonight's contest serves as the end of the first half, with the Hot Rods having already clinched a playoff berth on Tuesday. Friday's game will open the second half of the season, providing another playoff spot for the other five teams in the division.
Hammer Down... The Hot Rods offense exploded for 13 runs and 19 hits on Wednesday, winning their fifth-straight game. The six homers BG blasted were not just a season-high but tied the franchise record for a single-game set in 2012. Nathan Wiles added to the Bowling Green dominance in the second-to-last game of the first half with 4.0 perfect innings while Anthony Molina earned his seventh win of the year, which is tied for the league lead.
Yesterday's Notes... The 2022 Hot Rods are the third team in franchise history to win 40 games in the first half... The Hot Rods tied a franchise record for homers in a single game... The last time was April 15, 2012 at the Lake County Captains... Wednesday marked the first time in club history that six different players homered in a game... Every hitter in the lineup had at least one hit... Seven batters had multi-hit games... Hernandez, Ovalles, and Lopez all had a game-high three hits... Hernandez was a triple short of hitting for the cycle... BG's 19-hits were the second-highest total this season... Simon started at short for the first time as a member of the Rays farm system... It was his 7th career appearance at shortstop, with six appearances coming with the Arizona Diamondbacks system...
Driving it against the Drive... The Greenville Drive welcome the Hot Rods to Fluor Field at the West End for the first time in 2022. The two teams opened 2021 at the same location. The Hot Rods hit 11 homers that series and scored 45 runs while Greenville scored 33 runs with 13 homers. BG pitching tossed two shutouts, too.
Walk it Out... Kyle Manzardo currently owns the best walk-per-strikeout rate on the Hot rods. at 0.65, Manzo is walking 11.6% of the time to a 17.8% strikeouts rate. Basabe has the lowed K% in BG, striking out 14.3% of the time in 2022, the third-best rate in the league. Tanner Murray, who owns a strikeout rate of 19.1%, has the second-lowest on the team and 20th-best in the SAL.
Been there, done that... BG will finish the first-half leading their division for the third time in club history, clinching a playoff spot with 2018's Midwest League Champions and again in 2011. (there were no halves in 2021). The 2011 team finished the first leg of the season with a 41-29 record while the 2018 Hot Rods set a franchise record with 47 wins in the first half and a record of 47-22. They're the only two teams in club history with 40 wins in the first leg of a season, dating back to the first year of existence in 2009. The 2022 club needs one win to become the third team to the 40-win mark.
Postseason Push... The 2022 Playoff structure looks a little different than last season's "High-A East" setup. The season is split into two halves, with the first-half ending after games on June 23. Each division's team with the best record will earn a berth, with the divisional first and second half champions facing one another in a three-game series in the postseason. The winners of those series will be crowned division champions, with the two remaining teams set to face one another in a three-game championship series. The Hot Rods finish the first half on the road in Greenville, South Carolina in the middle of a six-game series against the Greenville Drive.
Keeping it 100... With 12 strikeouts in the division-clinching shutout, Mason Montgomery game the first minor league starter to 100 strikeouts, and the fourth pitcher across the minor and major leagues to reach the mark. He reached the mark faster than both major league starters who have broken the 100-strikeout barrier and second-fastest overall. Montgomery has struck out 19 more batters than any other pitcher in the South Atlantic League and also leads the league in ERA with 1.75.
South Atlantic League Stories from June 23, 2022
- Asheville Pitchers Hold Hoppers in Check - Greensboro Grasshoppers
- BG Wins Sixth-Straight with 11-8 Win in First Half Finale on Thursday - Bowling Green Hot Rods
- Henson Three-Run Homer Give Renegades Win over Dash - Winston-Salem Dash
- Hot Rods Take Down Drive - Greenville Drive
- Hoffmann, Braves' Arms Blank Hickory - Rome Emperors
- Cyclones Use Three-Run Fourth; Top Claws 3-1 - Jersey Shore BlueClaws
- Blue Rocks Win Pitching Duel 1-0 - Wilmington Blue Rocks
- Blue Rocks Win Pitching Duel 1-0 - Wilmington Blue Rocks
- Castaño Hurls Renegades to Win in First Half Finale - Hudson Valley Renegades
- Tourists Finish the First Half with a Win - Asheville Tourists
- Brooklyn Pitching Dominates to Close out 1st Half with 3-1 Win - Brooklyn Cyclones
- Hot Rods Game Notes - Bowling Green Hot Rods
- HVR Game Notes - June 23, 2022 - Hudson Valley Renegades
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
