Taylor Sets New Career-High with Four Hits in Hot Rods 8-7 Loss

Bowling Green, Kentucky – Brayden Taylor set his new career-high with four hits but it wasn’t enough as the Bowling Green Hot Rods (3-3) lost an 8-7 thriller to the Greenville Drive (2-4) at Fluor Field on Thursday in Greenville, South Carolina.

Greenville started the scoring in the bottom of the second inning against Bowling Green starter Trevor Martin. Caden Rose put up the first run with a one-out homer, giving the Drive a 1-0 lead. Miguel Ugueto and Tyler Miller collected back-to-back singles and came around to score on a double from Bryan Gonzalez, making it 3-0. Ahbram Liendo singled, moving Gonazlez to third and he scored on an RBI groundout from Kristian Campbell, giving Greenville a 4-0 lead.

The Hot Rods responded with one run in the top of the third inning against Drive starter JD Encarnacion. Blake Robertson led off with a double. Brayden Taylor singled, plating Robertson to make it a 4-1 game.

Another run came across in the bottom of the third for the Drive against Martin. Luis Ravelo hit a solo homer to bring the lead back to four for Greenville, 5-1.

Bowling Green drove in four runs in the top of the fourth with Encarnacion still on the mound. Tatem Levins led off with a solo blast to center, making it 5-2. Kamren James and Brock Jones singled in back-to-back at bats. James scored on a sacrifice fly from Hunter Haas, cutting into the lead, 5-3. Jhon Diaz capped off the inning with a two-run home run off the foul pole in right, tying the game 5-5.

The Hot Rods would take the lead for the first time in the top of the seventh inning against Drive reliever Gabriel Jackson. Brayden Taylor led off with a double and advanced to third on a groundout. Xavier Isaac lifted a sacrifice fly to left, scoring Taylor, giving the Hot Rods a 7-6 lead.

Bryan Gonzalez cracked a two-out homer in the bottom of the eighth off Bowling Green reliever Jack Hartman to tie the game 7-7. With Hartman still on the mound in the bottom of the ninth, Campbell and Allan Castro both walked. One out later, Caden Rose singled to left, scoring Campbell to walk-off the game for an 8-7 Drive win.

Caleb Bolden (2-0) picked up his second win of the season, tossing 1.1 scoreless innings in relief, walking one and striking out two. Hartman (0-1) pitched 1.2 innings, surrendering two runs on two hits while walking two and striking out one in his first loss of the season.

The Hot Rods and Drive play the fourth game of a six-game series on Friday with a 6:05 PM CT first pitch. Bowling Green will send out RHP Alex Cook (0-1, 6.75) against Greenville RHP Luis Parales (0-0, 27.00).

Fans can catch all the action by watching on MiLB.tv, listening through the MiLB First Pitch App and BGHotRods.com. Fans can also secure their seats for future home Hot Rods games by calling (270) 901-2121, visiting the Bowling Green Ballpark box office during normal business hours, or going to www.bghotrods.com.

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Hot Rods Baseball