Hot Rods Clinch First Series Victory, Split Doubleheader With Dash

Bowling Green, Kentucky – The Bowling Green Hot Rods (2-1) and Winston-Salem Dash (1-2) split their doubleheader on Sunday at Bowling Green Ballpark. The Hot Rods claimed the first game, 6-2, while Winston-Salem earned the win in the second contest, 10-5.

In the first game, the Hot Rods plated four runs in the bottom of the first against Winston-Salem starter Dylan Cumming. Adrian Santana singled, and Theo Gillen was hit by a pitch, putting runners at first and second. Émilien Pitre reached on an error by Cumming, loading the bases. Nathan Flewelling singled to center, scoring Santana and Gillen, giving the Hot Rods a 2-0 lead. Tom Poole, Ryan McCoy, and J.D. Gonzalez worked consecutive walks, pushing in two more runs, bringing the score to 4-0.

The Hot Rods added two more runs off Dash reliever Jake Curtis in the bottom of fourth inning. With one out, Ricardo Gonzalez reached on an error from Dash left fielder Ely Brown. Santana singled, placing runners at the corners. Curtis balked, scoring Gonzalez, advancing Santana to second. Gillen reached on another error, moving Santana to third. Pitre guided Santana home with a sacrifice fly to make it a 6-0 gap.

Winston-Salem salvaged two runs in the seventh inning off Bowling Green reliever Jonathan Russell. Colby Shelton led off with a single and Jacob Burke reached on a hit-by-pitch. Kyle Lodise roped a two-run double off the left-field wall, plating Shelton and pinch-runner T.J. McCants to make it 6-2.

T.J. Fondtain (1-0) earned the win with 2.0 scoreless innings, walking one and striking out two. Cumming (0-1) was charged with the loss, surrendering four runs while recording one out.

In game two, Bowling Green got the scoring started against Winston-Salem starter Drew McDaniel in the bottom of the first. Gillen pumped a double down the left-field line with one out. Flewelling drilled an RBI single to center field for a 1-0 Hot Rods lead.

The Dash responded with a three-spot off Hot Rods’ starter Jose Urbina. A two-out triple by Alec Makarewicz and a walk by McCants put runners on the corners. Grant Magill smacked a three-run home run to left-center field for a 3-1 lead.

Winston-Salem tacked on four more runs in the fourth inning, and another two runs in the top of the fifth, headlined by a George Wolkow two-run home run against Hot Rods’ reliever Andrew Lindsey to increase the lead to 9-1.

The Hot Rods put together a four-spot in the bottom of the fifth inning against the Dash bullpen. The first three Bowling Green batters reached to start the inning. Gillen and Pitre logged RBI groundouts, and Flewelling blasted a two-run homer, making it a 9-5 game.

The Dash generated one more run in the top of the seventh on a Wolkow RBI single, and the Hot Rods went scoreless in the bottom half, ending in a 10-5 Winston-Salem win.

Liam Paddack (1-0) tossed 1.1 innings, allowing three runs on two hits, striking out two and walking two. Urbina (0-1) was hooked with the loss, allowing seven runs (three earned) on five hits, walking one and striking out three.

Bowling Green continues its nine-game home stand on Tuesday night against the Rome Emperors. First pitch of a six-game series is scheduled for 6:35 PM. Starting pitchers are to be determined.

Fans can catch all the action by watching on MiLB.tv, listening through the MiLB First Pitch App and BGHotRods.com. Fans can also secure their seats for future home Hot Rods games by calling (270) 901-2121, visiting the Bowling Green Ballpark box office during normal business hours, or going to www.bghotrods.com.

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Hot Rods Baseball