Williams and Isaac Play Hero, Hot Rods Walk-Off Twice

Bowling Green, Kentucky – After winning the resumption of a suspended game on a walk-off double from Carson Williams, 5-4, from September 5, the Bowling Green Hot Rods (37-24, 68-54) walked it off again with a single by Xavier Isaac in game two to beat the Greensboro Grasshoppers (29-31, 65-60) 5-4 on Wednesday at Bowling Green Ballpark.

In the suspended game, the Hot Rods took the lead in the bottom of the sixth off Grasshoppers reliever Jack Carey. Williams led off with a walk and came around to score on a two-run homer from Isaac, putting Bowling Green up 3-1.

After Greensboro tied it up in the top of the seventh against Bowling Green reliever Jeff Hakanson, the Hot Rods answered back in bottom of the eighth off Grasshoppers reliever Cy Nielson. Isaac tripled and was plated on a base hit to left by Dominic Keegan to make it 4-3.

Bowling Green reliever Kyle Whitten allowed a run in the top of the ninth, but Williams laced an RBI double to left in the bottom half to win it for the Hot Rods, 5-4.

Whitten (1-4) collected the win, letting up a run on two hits and a walk over 2.0 innings. Nielsen (4-5) took the loss, allowing two runs on four hits and a walk over 1.2 frames.

In the regularly scheduled game, Greensboro began the scoring in the top of the second off Bowling Green starter J.J. Goss. Termarr Johnson led off with a walk and moved up to third on a fielding error from second baseman Hunter Haas. Hudson Head grounded into a double play, scoring Johnson to make it 1-0.

The Hot Rods offense responded against Grasshoppers starter Joshua Loeschorn in the bottom of the third. Mario Fernandez and Chandler Simpson hit back-to-back singles and each moved up a base on a fielding error from center fielder Head to put runners at second and third. Shane Sasaki moved Simpson to third and scored Fernandez on a sacrifice fly to left, tying the game 1-1. A wild pitch from Loeschorn allowed Simpson to score, putting Bowling Green up 2-1.

Greensboro took the lead with two runs in the top of the fourth, but Bowling Green tied it back up in the bottom half of the inning. Brock Jones walked and stole second to put a runner in scoring position. Haas rocketed a base hit to center, scoring Jones to make it 3-3.

The Grasshoppers took the lead against Hot Rods reliever Alfredo Zarraga in the top of the 10th, but Bowling Green answered back in the bottom half of the inning against Valentin Linarez. After Kamren James scored on a wild pitch, Simpson walked and stole second to put a runner in scoring position. Simpson moved up to third on a wild pitch and scored on an RBI single from Isaac to finalize the game, 5-4.

Zarraga (3-0) earned the win, letting up a run (zero earned) on a hit and two strikeouts over 1.0 frame. Linarez (1-6) took the loss, allowing two runs (one earned) on a hit and two walks over 1.2 innings.

Bowling Green and Greensboro play game three of a six-game series on Thursday with first pitch set for 6:35 PM CT. RHP Duncan Davitt (3-4) starts for the Hot Rods, while RHP Po-Yu Chen (5-8) starts for the Grasshoppers.

Fans can catch all the action by listening through the MiLB First Pitch App, tuning into Talk 104.1 FM and 930 AM WKCT, or visiting https://www.milb.com/bowling-green/fans/audio-listen-live.

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Hot Rods Baseball