Witherspoon’s Five RBIs Boost Hot Rod to Series Sweep

Bowling Green, Kentucky– Grant Witherspoon collected five RBIs and fell a homer shy of the cycle in an 8-5 series-sweeping win for the Bowling Green Hot Rods (45-21) over the Winston-Salem Dash (26-40) on Sunday at Bowling Green Ballpark in Bowling Green, Kentucky. The Hot Rods have an off-day on Monday before resuming play at home on Tuesday against the Rome Braves.

Bowling Green scored the first runs of the game in the bottom of the first against Winston-Salem starter Dan Metzdorf. Connor Hollis started the offense with a one-out single and moved to second on a walk to Curtis Mead. Both runners advanced on a wild pitch and Jordan Qsar hit into a fielder’s choice to score Hollis and give the Hot Rods a 1-0 lead. One out later, Witherspoon cleared the bases with a double and expanded the Bowling Green advantage to 3-0.

The Dash scored two runs in the top of the third, but the Hot Rods responded quickly in the bottom of the frame against Dash reliever Cooper Bradford. Mead led off with a double and Qsar followed with a walk. Blake Hunt loaded the bases for Witherspoon, who cleared them with a triple to bring the lead to 6-2. Jacson McGowan came up in the next at-bat and slammed a two-run homer over the wall in right to extend the lead to 8-2.

In the top of the fifth, the Dash brought in two runs against Hot Rods reliever Tanner Dodson. Yoelqui Cespedes worked a leadoff walk and advanced to third on a base hit from Alex Destino. Evan Skoug doubled them both home to cut into the Hot Rods lead, 8-4. Winston-Salem added another run in the top of the sixth, but Bowling Green’s bullpen held the Dash scoreless the rest of the way, completing the series sweep with an 8-5 win.

Alan Strong tossed 2.2 innings, allowing two runs on five hits while walking one and striking out two in a no-decision. Dodson (3-0) pitched 2.1 innings, giving up three hits and two runs with a walk and two strikeouts in his third win of the year. Trevor Brigden hurled 2.0 innings, surrendering one run on one hit, walking two and striking out two. Colby White (3) earned his third save of the season, striking out five over two perfect innings.

Notes: Witherspoon had his team-leading 11th multi-RBI game of the season… His five RBIs set a season-high… Witherspoon and Ostberg logged their 10th multi-hit game of 2021… There are now seven Hot Rods hitters to collect 10 or more multi-hit games this season… Martinez collected his fifth multi-hit game of the year… McGowan had his ninth multi-RBI game of the campaign… White tied his career-high with five K’s… Bowling Green has a season-high seven game win streak… This is their first series sweep this season… The Hot Rods improve to 6-0 against the Dash all-time… BG is 28-12 when scoring first this year… They are 29-2 when outhitting opponents… The Hot Rods enjoy a league-wide off day before returning to Bowling Green Ballpark on Tuesday for a six-game series against the Rome Braves with a 6:35 PM CT first pitch.

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