Alexander’s Three Hits, RBIs Push BG to 7-5 Win

Aberdeen, Maryland– Hill Alexander had three hits and three RBIs to lead the Bowling Green Hot Rods (52-21) to a 7-5 victory over the Aberdeen Ironbirds (38-35) on Wednesday at Leidos Field at Ripken Stadium in Aberdeen, Maryland. The two teams will play the third game of a six-game series on Thursday with a 6:05 PM CT first pitch.

The Hot Rods took a first inning lead against Ironbirds starter Brandon Young, who was making his High-A debut. Connor Hollis walked with one out and Evan Edwards singled to right with two outs. Blake Hunt singled to left, scoring Hollis and got himself in a rundown between first and second that allowed Edwards to score. Hunt retreated to first safely while the Hot Rods took a 2-0 lead.

Bowling Green added four runs to their lead, chasing Young from the game in the third. Hollis and Curtis Mead both walked to lead off the inning and Grant Witherspoon singled to left with two outs to plate Hollis while Mead went to third. Jordan Qsar walked to load the bases and Erik Ostberg took a base on balls to force home Mead while giving the Hot Rods a 4-0 edge. Hill Alexander singled to left, driving in Witherspoon and Qsar, to extend the Hot Rods advantage to 6-0.

Aberdeen scored in the third and fourth, but Alexander made it a 7-4 game with another RBI single in the fifth. Aberdeen narrowed the gap with a run in the seventh, but Tanner Dodson was able to close out the game en route to a 7-5 win.

Michael Mercado allowed four runs on six hits with four walks and four strikeouts over 3.1 innings in a no-decision. Colby White (2-2) earned the win after hurling a perfect 2.0 innings with two strikeouts. Christopher Gau earned his second hold of the year while allowing a run on a hit with three strikeouts. Dodson (2) earned a save while pitching a scoreless, hitless 2.0 innings with a walk and two strikeouts.

Notes: Witherspoon has a 10-game hit streak… Hunt has an eight gamer… Qsar extended his hit streak to seven games… Alexander had his seventh multi-hit effort and sixth multi-RBI game… Eight of BG’s nine hitters had at least one hit… BG is 7-1 against Aberdeen this season… The Hot Rods are on a three-game winning streak… BG’s record in July is 19-7, tying their highest single-month win total in 2021… BG is 13-0 in two-run games this season… The Hot Rods are 33-13 when scoring first… The Hot Rods and Ironbirds will play the third game of the series on Thursday with a 6:05 PM CT first pitch… The Hot Rods will send RH Evan McKendry (3-1, 3.00) to the mound against Ironbirds RH Connor Loeprich (0-1, 23.14)… Fans can catch all of the action by watching on MiLB.tv or listening 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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