Qsar Racks Up Three RBIs in 6-5 Loss, Greensboro Takes 2-1 Series Lead

Bowling Green, Kentucky – Jordan Qsar had a two-run homer and a sacrifice fly in the 6-5 loss for the Bowling Green Hot Rods (1-2) against the Greensboro Grasshoppers (2-1) on Sunday at Bowling Green Ballpark in Bowling Green, Kentucky. The two teams play game four of the High-A East Championship Series on Monday with a 6:35 PM CT first pitch.

The Grasshoppers put up the first runs of the game in the top of the first inning against Hot Rods starter John Doxakis. Liover Peguero led off the game with a base hit. Nick Gonzales followed with a two-run homer, giving Greensboro a 2-0 lead.

Bowling Green responded in the bottom half against Greensboro starter J.C. Flowers. Brett Wisely led off with a single to left and Grant Witherspoon hit a two-run homer. The long ball was his second of the post-season and tied the game at 2-2.

Greensboro scored two more runs in the top of the third on a Lolo Sanchez homer, regaining the lead 4-2. The Hot Rods brought in a run of their own in the bottom half with Flowers still on the mound. Wisely led off with a single and advanced to third on a Witherspoon base-hit. Qsar lifted a sacrifice fly to left field, scoring Wisely, and cutting into the Grasshoppers lead, 4-3.

In the bottom of the fifth inning, Bowling Green captured the lead for the first time against Flowers. With two outs, Curtis Mead singled to keep the inning alive for Qsar. He launched a two-run homer over the wall in left to give the Hot Rods a 5-4 lead.

The Grasshoppers tied the game at 5-5 in the top of the sixth inning on a solo homer from Andres Alvarez. Greensboro didn’t stop there, taking the lead on a Blake Sabol RBI base-hit in the top of the seventh inning. Bowling Green was held scoreless over the next three innings, falling to the Grasshoppers, 6-5.

Doxakis struck out seven over 3.2 innings, surrendering four runs on five hits in a no-decision. Michael Mercado tossed 1.2 scoreless innings, striking out two and walking three. Trey Cumbie gave up one run on one hit and was charged with a blown save. Alan Strong (0-1) pitched 1.1 innings, striking out three and walking two while giving up one run on two hits in his first loss of the post-season. Jose Lopez pitched the final 2.0 innings, striking out five and allowing one hit.

Notes: Qsar has homered in two straight games… They are his first two post-season home runs… Grant Witherspoon had his second homer of the playoffs… He now has three career post-season homers… Qsar and Witherspoon are tied for the Hot Rods career post-season home run record with two… They are tied with Moises Gomez (2018) and Trey Hair (2018)… BG pitchers combined for eight walks… Their 2021 regular-season high was nine on September 5 vs. Hickory… The pitching staff’s 17 strikeouts fall two short of their regular-season high… BG struck out 19 batters in three different games… Bowling Green and Greensboro play game four on Monday with a 6:35 PM CT first pitch… The Hot Rods send RH Evan McKendry (0-0, 0.00) to the mound RH Carmen Mlodzinski (0-0, 0.00)… Fans can catch all of the action by watching 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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