Pellegrini's record HR leads Legends to 6-4 win
With two on and one out in the top of the ninth inning and Legends trailing the Bowling Green Hot Rods 4-3, Pellegrini hit a drive over the wall in left center field to put Lexington in front 6-4, and that was the final score. The home run set a new Legends single-season record, breaking the old mark of 25 that Pellegrini had shared with Hunter Pence and Beau Hearod.
The Hot Rods took the lead in the bottom of the second inning. Kyeong Kang led off with a double and advanced to third on a single by Jason Corder. Mike Sheridan followed with a triple to put the Hot Rods up 2-0. After John Mollicone struck out, Jason Tweedy hit a sacrifice fly to center field to score Sheridan with the third run of the inning.
The Legends came back with two in the top of the third. Russ Dixon reached second on an error by left fielder Kong. After Brandon Wikoff flied out, Albert Cartwright tapped a ball in front of the plate, and catcher Mollicone overthrew first, allowing Dixon to score as Cartwright reached second. Cartwright moved to third on an errant pickoff attempt by pitcher Chris Andujar, and scored on a wild pitch cut the lead to 3-2.
Bowling Green added another run in the fourth on a double by Sheridan and a single by Mollicone. The Legends made it 4-3 in the fifth when Pellegrini's two-out RBI single scored Cartwright, who had walked.
In the ninth, Cartwright led off with a base hit and Eric Suttle beat out a bunt to put runners at first and second. Cartwright moved to third on Jay Austin's fly ball to right field, setting the stage for Pellegrini's three-run blast.
The four RBI give Pellegrini a total of 141 as a Legend, one short of the mark set by Ramon German in 2001-02.
Kirkland Rivers (1-1) got the win in relief. Neil Schenk (6-4) was the losing pitcher. The two teams meet again Saturday night in Bowling Green at 8:05 p.m. Eastern time.