Williams Swats 21st Homer, Hot Rods Flatten Tourists 8-2

Asheville, North Carolina – In the final road game of the season, Carson Williams clobbered a three-run homer in the first that led to an 8-2 win for the Bowling Green Hot Rods (35-24, 66-54) over the Asheville Tourists (22-38, 48-73) on Sunday at McCormick Field.

Bowling Green scored the first runs of the game in the top of the first off Asheville starter Deylen Miley. Chandler Simpson led off with a walk and Shane Sasaki doubled to put runners on second and third. Williams homered to left, putting the Hot Rods up 3-0.

In the top of the fourth, Brock Jones walked, Hunter Haas singled, and Blake Robertson worked a walk to load the bases. After Asheville replaced Miley with reliever Walker Brockhouse, Sasaki ripped a double to center that moved the score to 5-0. Xavier Isaac doubled in Robertson and Sasaki from second and third, increasing the lead to 7-0.

The Tourists plated their first run of the game in the bottom of the sixth against Hot Rods reliever Yoniel Curet. Michael Sandle walked and Rolando Espinosa singled to put runners on first and third. Freddy Guilamo knocked a base hit to right, scoring Sandle to make it 7-1.

After Asheville scored another run in the bottom of the eighth off Bowling Green reliever Nate Dahle, the Hot Rods responded against Tourists reliever Carlos Calderon in the top of the ninth. Haas singled and moved up to second on a wild pitch to put a runner in scoring position. Robertson laced a double to left, plating Haas to regain a six-run lead for Bowling Green.

Hot Rods reliever Sandy Gaston shutout the Tourists in the bottom of the ninth, pushing Bowling Green to an 8-2 victory.

Curet (2-0) picked up the win, letting up a run on two hits, three walks, and four strikeouts over 3.2 innings. Miley (2-7) took the loss, allowing six runs on four hits, six walks, and seven strikeouts over 3.1 innings.

The Hot Rods enjoy a day off on Monday before traveling back to Bowling Green Ballpark to face the Greensboro Grasshoppers in their final six-game series of the season. First pitch is set for Tuesday at 6:35 PM CT.

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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