Williams Homers Twice as Hot Rods Shut Out the Dash

Bowling Green, Kentucky– Alika Williams drove in six runs, including a pair of homers, as the Bowling Green Hot Rods (37-24) cruised to a 12-0 victory over the Winston-Salem Dash (32-30) on Saturday at Bowling Green Ballpark. With Bowling Green’s win and the Hickory Crawdads’ loss, the Hot Rods magic number to clinch the first-half pennant is down the three games. The Dash and the Hot Rods will finish their series on Sunday with a 1:05 PM CT first pitch.

Bowling Green plated two in the first, with the first three batters reaching base for the Hot Rods. Dru Baker singled to center off Cooper Bradford, Williams walked and Osleivis Basabe reached on an errant throw by Dash shortstop Jason Matthews. With the bases loaded, Kyle Manzardo grounded out to first to plate Baker and give BG a 1-0 lead. Tanner Murray grounded out to third one batter later to extend the lead to 2-0.

BG added two more in the third, after Baker walked to lead off the inning. Williams doubled the lead with a two-run homer to left-center off Wilber Perez that made it 4-0. Bowling Green loaded the bases in the fourth, with a walk to Diego Infante, a single by Ronny Simon and a walk to Heriberto Hernandez. Michael Berglund singled to right-center field to plate two and make it a 6-0 lead. Williams cleared the bases with a double to boost the lead to 8-0, and Basabe singled him in to cap the scoring in the five-run inning and grow the lead to 9-0.

Williams added some insurance with a two-run home run in the sixth, bringing the Hot Rods lead to 11-0. Basabe walked and Manzardo doubled him to third, and Murray grounded out to third to drive Basabe in and make it 12-0. The Hot Rods’ bullpen retired the final eight hitters in order to secure the shutout and 12-0 win.

Victor Muñoz (1-0) earned his first win for the Hot Rods in 5.0 scoreless innings, striking out three hitters and allowing one hit. Franklin Dacosta tossed 2.0 scoreless frames with one hit and one strikeout. Cameron Leonard struck out five in 2.0 scoreless and hitless innings to finish off the game for BG.

Notes: Williams’ third-inning home run was his second at Bowling Green Ballpark… It was also Bowling Green’s 50th homer off a right-handed pitcher… Williams drove in a career-high six runs… His six RBIs were the most by a Hot Rods hitter this season… Williams had the first multi-home run game of his career and the fifth for BG this season… Berglund drove in his first two runs as a Hot Rods player in the fourth… Muñoz allowed one hit, the fewest by a Hot Rods starter since Zack Trageton one-hit the Cyclones on April 26… Leonard struck out five of the six hitters he faced… BG’s win was their largest margin of victory this season… Bowling Green’s pitching staff combined for the fifth shutout victory of the season… The Hot Rods and Dash finish their series at Bowling Green Ballpark on Sunday with first pitch set for 1:05 PM CT… Hot Rods have yet to name a starter while the Dash will send RH Matt Thompson (2-4, 4.31) in a rematch of the series opener… Fans can listen to the game on Talk 104.1 FM and 930 AM WKCT beginning with the Hot Rods Warmup Show at 12:50 PM CT… Fans can also watch live on MiLB.tv, listen via the MiLB First Pitch app on Android and IOS, or go to the Hot Rods website at www.bghotrods.com

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Hot Rods Baseball