Hot Rods throttle Drive, 20-8

Drive give up 20 runs for second time in team history

There was no shortage of offensive on Friday in Bowling Green as the Hot Rods (16-12, 47-42) and Greenville Drive (13-15, 49-45) combined for 28 runs, but unfortunately the Drive would be on the short side of that equation as the Hot Rods carried the night, topping the Drive 20-8. The 20 runs the Drive conceded to the Hot Rods ties the most runs given up in franchise history as the Drive gave up 20 runs to Charleston on May 21, 2008.

Things would go awry earlier.

Drive starter Juan Daniel Encarnacion allowed a single and issued two walks to the first three batters he faced, loading the bases for Dominic Keegan whose groundout was enough to give the Hot Rods a 1-0 lead. Two pitches later Kenny Piper slapped an RBI-double to make it 2-0.

The Drive would briefly tie the game in the top of the second as Bryan Gonzalez led off with a double which would be followed up with a Tyler Miller strikeout then back-to-back RBI-doubles from Ronald Rosario and Eduardo Lopez to make it 2-2.

But the good vibes of a tie game would vanish quickly in the bottom of the third as the Hot Rods scratched across five runs thanks to back-to-back solo homers to lead off the inning which would be doubled down on by a two-out, three-run homer later in the inning to make it 7-2.

The Drive inched a little closer in the top of the fourth thanks to RBI-doubles from Alex Erro and Lopez to make it 7-4. But those gains would be erased as well in the bottom of the fourth as Keegan added a two-run blast to make it 9-2. Encarnacion would exit following the final out of the fourth, officially ending the night allowing 9 runs (all earned) on eight hits, issuing three walks and four homers while striking out three.

Nate Tellier took over in the fifth for the Drive and he would not fare much better giving up an RBI-triple, and RBI-single and a grand slam, making it 16-4 before Tellier was relieved with one out by Maceo Campbell. Campbell would fare better, ultimately going three innings, allowing three hits and a run that would be charged to him in the eighth with Joey Stock on the mound, while ringing up four.

The Drive added four more runs in the eighth via a Gonzalez RBI-triple and a Rosario three run shot that made it 16-8. But the Hot Rods poured it on again in the bottom of the eighth with an RBI-groundout, a balk that brought home a run, and a three-RBI single rounding out the scoring and giving the Hot Rods the 20-8 lead and ultimate victory.

The Greenville Drive (Boston Red Sox) return to action at 7:35 p.m. tomorrow for game five of the six-game series with the Bowling Green Hot Rods (Houston Astros). The Hot Rods lead the series, 3-1.