Hot Rods Game Notes
June 30, 2022 - South Atlantic League (SAL)
Bowling Green Hot Rods News Release
Tonight's game is the third of a six-game set.
Close to a Comeback... The Hot Rods fell behind by four runs after allowing a go-ahead grand slam and halved the Tourists lead in the ninth, but they couldn't complete the comeback and fell to Asheville for the first time this season 11-9. Mason Auer recorded his first multi-hit game and first home run for Bowling Green and Heriberto Hernandez stole home and hit his ninth homer of the season in a 3-5 day. Ronny Simon went 1-5 but his one hit made him the first Hot Rods hitter with double-digit home runs on the year. Conor Dryer returned to the rotation as an opener, allowing one run on one hit in the first, and Sean Mullen finished the game with 1.1 scoreless frames.
Yesterday's Notes... Hernandez stole home to tie the game in the second inning... It's the first time a Hot Rods baserunner stole home since Jordan Qsar on July 1, 2019 in Lansing, Michigan... Wednesday was the fourth time this road trip that BG had 10+ hits in a game... Infante had his 16th multi-hit game of the year... Hernandez had his 13th... He also had his 10th multi-RBI game of the season... Murray had his second-straight multi-hit game... It was his 15th of the season... Berglund logged his third multi-hit effort of the season... Martinez had his third multi-hit game of the season in his first game back from being on the IL... Simon's four-RBI night was his 11th multi-RBI game of the year... It was the first time he had four in one game... BG's eight walks were the most issued by the pitching staff in one game this season...
Going on Tour... After opening the series with a three-game sweep against the Tourists, the Bowling Green Hot Rods travel to Asheville, North Carolina for the first six-game series against the Houston Astros-affiliated Asheville Tourists. Bowling Green has won five straight against the Tourists dating back to May of 2021, though the Tourists won the first four games of that May series in Asheville the last time BG visited McCormick Field.
Walk it Out... Kyle Manzardo currently owns the best walk-per-strikeout rate on the Hot rods. at 0.65, Manzo is walking 14.9% of the time to a 17.1% strikeouts rate. Basabe had the lowest K% in BG, striking out 14.4% of the time in 2022, the third-best rate in the league. Alika Williams has a K% of 18.4%, which is the 12th lowest mark in the league for anyone with 150+ at-bats.
Clinched... BG finished 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. The 2022 club became the third Hot Rods team to the 40-win mark in a half.
Prepared for the Postseason... 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 clinched a playoff spot after winning the South Division in the first half. They will be joined by the first half North Division Winners in the Aberdeen IronBirds.
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 1.81.
South Atlantic League Stories from June 30, 2022
- Cyclones Hold Off Renegades - Hudson Valley Renegades
- Barber and Santana Combine for 10 Hits in 17-9 Win - Asheville Tourists
- Tourists Beat Hot Rods 17-9 on Thursday - Bowling Green Hot Rods
- Re-NICK-Ulous Zwack Shines as Brooklyn Wins 6-1 - Brooklyn Cyclones
- 'Dads Hop on Hoppers Late in 6-5 Win - Hickory Crawdads
- Three Run 7th Inning Guides Blue Rocks to Win - Wilmington Blue Rocks
- Greenville Takes Home the Win - Greenville Drive
- Mieses, Ramos Each Homer, But Dash Drop Game Three 6-3 - Winston-Salem Dash
- Wilson Homers But Claws Fall 7-4 Thursday in Wilmington - Jersey Shore BlueClaws
- Hot Rods Game Notes - Bowling Green Hot Rods
- Historic Draftee Patel Prospering in Winston-Salem - Winston-Salem Dash
- HVR Game Notes - June 30, 2022 - Hudson Valley Renegades
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