Hot Rods Win 12-Inning Thriller Over Aberdeen, 10-9

Bowling Green, Kentucky– The Bowling Green Hot Rods (23-12) made two extra-inning comebacks and won 10-9 against the Aberdeen IronBirds (20-13) on Saturday at Bowling Green Ballpark in Bowling Green, Kentucky. The Hot Rods and IronBirds play the series finale on Sunday with a 5:35 PM CT first pitch.

Bowling Green scored a run in the bottom of the third against IronBirds starter Kyle Brnovich. Luis Trevino led off with a walk. Two outs later, Blake Hunt, Ruben Cardenas, and Evan Edwards worked consecutive walks to bring in Trevino and take a 1-0 lead. The Hot Rods added another run in the bottom of the fourth against Aberdeen reliever Easton Lucas. Jordan Qsar led off with a solo homer off the scoreboard in right field to increase Bowling Green’s edge to 2-0.

Three runs came in to score in the top of the fifth for Aberdeen against Hot Rods starter Joe La Sorsa. Ryne Ogren led off with a walk, and two batters later, Adam Hall reached on a fielder’s choice. Kyle Stowers hit a home run to give Aberdeen their first lead of the night, 3-2.

With IronBirds pitcher Garrett Farmer on the mound in the bottom of the fifth, the Hot Rods scored another run to tie the game. With two outs, Cardenas hit a home run to right-center field and evened the score 3-3. This was his team-leading ninth homer of the year.

The IronBirds added a run in the top of the sixth against Bowling Green reliever Chris Muller. The Hot Rods scored in the bottom half of the sixth with Farmer still on the mound. Qsar led off with a single and moved to second on a stolen base. A wild pitch moved him to third and Grant Witherspoon drove him in with a single to tie the game, 4-4.

Aberdeen drove in another run in the top of the seventh off Hot Rods pitcher Alan Strong to take the lead 5-4. The Hot Rods tied the score again in the eighth against IronBirds reliever Jake Prizina. Trevino doubled with two outs and Osmy Gregorio replaced him at second base as a pinch runner. Pedro Martinez singled home Gregorio to bring the score to 5-5.

The game stayed tied and needed extra innings to be decided. In the top of the 11th inning, Aberdeen scored two runs against Bowling Green pitcher Cristofer Ogando to take a 7-5 lead. The Hot Rods answered in the bottom of the frame against Aberdeen pitcher Nick Roth. Witherspoon started the inning on second base and Niko Hulsizer worked a pinch-hit walk. One out later, Jones singled to load the bases. Cardenas singled to left field to bring in Witherspoon and Hulsizer, tying the game 7-7.

The IronBirds made it a 9-7 game in top of the 12th against Bowling Green reliever Miller Hogan. The Hot Rods answered back in the bottom of the 12th with three runs against IronBirds pitcher Morgan McSweeney. Edwards came in to score from second on back-to-back wild pitches to make the score 9-8. Connor Hollis walked, and two outs later, Hulsizer walked and Martinez was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Jones hit a fly ball to right-center field that was dropped by IronBirds outfielder Kyle Stowers, scoring Hollis and Hulsizer to win the game 10-9.

La Sorsa tossed 5.0 innings, allowing three hits and three runs, while walking two and striking out three in a no-decision. Muller pitched 1.0 innings, giving up one hit and one run, while walking one and striking out one. Strong hurled 1.0 inning and gave up one run on two hits while striking out two. Christopher Gau pitched 1.0 perfect inning. Ogando tossed 3.0 inning, surrendering two runs (one earned) while walking two and striking out three. Hogan (1-2) pitched 1.0 inning, giving up two hits and two runs (one earned) in his first win of the year.

Notes: Cardenas had his team-leading 11th multi-hit game of the year… This was also his eighth multi-RBI game of the season… Qsar had his sixth multi-hit game of 2021… Trevino had his second multi-hit game this year… La Sorsa tied a team-high 5.0 innings pitched… All Hot Rods hitters who had a plate appearance reached base… Nine batters recorded hits… The Hot Rods are 2-0 this season in extra-inning games… Bowling Green is 7-9 this year when being out-hit by opponents… BG is 14-7 when scoring first… The Hot Rods are 4-5 in one-run games… Bowling Green is 9-1 this homestand… They have the best record at home in the High-A East at 14-3… Bowling Green and Aberdeen play Michael Mercado (0-3, 4.88) against IronBirds LH Drew Rom (3-0, 2.60)… 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.

###

Hot Rods Baseball is presented by MedCenter Health