Martin Homers Twice in Third Straight Win

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — Hub City and Bowling Green brought the firepower early on Wednesday night. After seven combined runs in the first two innings, the Spartanburgers pitching staff put the clamps on. Hub City (13-24, 47-56) erased a two-run deficit to take down Bowling Green (25-13, 72-31) by a 7-5 final. Maxton Martin’s homers in both the fourth and the eighth proved pivotal in a third straight ‘Burgers win.

Hub City jumped on Kaleb Corbett to start the game. Each of the first four batters hit safely. Paxton Kling led off with a double, but he was caught trying to steal third. After singles from Casey Cook and Luke Hanson, Gleider Figuereo picked up a hit of his own to drive in a run. Two more runs came in on a groundout and a passed ball.

The Hot Rods did not score in the first against AJ Russell, but they struck back in the second. Narciso Polanco led off with a bunt single, and a walk and hit batter loaded the bases. After a pair of strikeouts, Russell gave up a grand slam to Brendan Summerhill.

Russell turned the ball over to Anthony Susac (W, 5-2) with one out and a runner at second in the third. A fielding error in the first at-bat for Susac brought in a fifth Bowling Green run. Susac got out of the third without more damage. He faced the minimum across the next two innings.

Cade Citelli took over for the Hot Rods on the mound in the third. He started his night with a scoreless inning, but Martin powered a leadoff homer to the right-center gap start the fourth. Citelli set down the next three he faced to finish his night.

Jacob Hartlaub (L, 0-1) was next out of the Bowling Green bullpen in the fifth. Two walks and a single from Kling loaded the bases with nobody out. Hanson brought in a run with a groundout to short. Figuereo followed up with an RBI single to lift Hub City back in front 6-5.

Lefty Owen Proksch faced traffic in both innings he tossed. He stranded two runners on in the sixth. With two on and just one out in the seventh, Jesus Gamez entered and finished off another scoreless inning.

The Hub City offense did not add on against Hartlaub in the sixth or Noah Beal in the seventh. With Beal back out for the eighth, Martin yanked a moonshot over the foul pole in right to double the lead. Gamez protected the lead with a scoreless eighth. Luimy Munoz (S, 1) worked around a two-out walk in the ninth to finish the job.

The Spartanburgers attempt to keep their streak going on Thursday night. Kamdyn Perry (0-3, 10.36 ERA) toes the rubber for Hub City against Bowling Green right-hander Trevor Harrison (2-1, 5.19 ERA).

About the Hub City Spartanburgers

The Hub City Spartanburgers are the High-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers and the reigning South Atlantic League South Division Champions. For more information on the Spartanburgers, visit milb.com/hub-city. For information about tickets to any of Hub City’s 66 home games, call 864-594-0701 or email: [email protected]. For media inquiries, email: [email protected]. Follow along with the Spartanburgers on social media.