Hot Rods Score Season-High 15 Runs in Win Over Grasshoppers

Greensboro, North Carolina – The Bowling Green Hot Rods (71-28, 24-10) produced a season-high 15 runs, taking down the Greensboro Grasshoppers (60-40, 19-15) 15-5 behind a seven-run top of the eighth inning on Friday at First National Bank Field in Greensboro, North Carolina.

The Grasshoppers started the scoring in the bottom of the first against Hot Rods starter Trevor Harrison. With two outs, Jhonny Severino hit a solo homer to left, making it 1-0 Grasshoppers.

Greensboro benefitted from another solo homer in the bottom of the second from Tony Blanco Jr., creating a 2-0 lead.

Three runs came in to score for Bowling Green in the top of the third against Greensboro starter Hung-Leng Chang. Bryan Broecker led off the inning with a solo homer, bringing the score to 2-1. With one out, Aidan Smith singled and scored on a Narciso Polanco double. Ryan McCoy made it back-to-back doubles, plating Polanco, giving Bowling Green a 3-2 lead.

The Hot Rods scored two more runs in the top of the fourth against Chang. Nicandro Aybar led off with a base hit and Broecker walked. Both runners advanced on a wild pitch, putting runners at second and third. Adrian Santana singled to right, driving in both runners, increasing the Hot Rods edge to 5-2.

Greensboro brought in three runs in the bottom of the fourth with Harrison still on the bump. Severino led off with his second homer of the night, making it 5-3. Axiel Plaz singled, and two outs later, Carlos Caro drove him in with a double. Dylan Palmer followed with an RBI base hit, scoring Caro, tying the game at 5-5.

The score held on both sides until the top of the eighth inning when the Hot Rods pushed in seven runs against the Grasshoppers bullpen. McCoy and Noah Myers worked one-out walks. Aybar plated McCoy with a single, placing runners at the corners. Larry Martinez drove in the next run with an RBI sacrifice bunt, and Broecker knocked in another run with a base hit, giving the Hot Rods a 9-5 lead. Smith capped off the inning with a grand slam, bringing the score to 12-5.

Bowling Green added three more runs in the top of the ninth against Greensboro reliver Carlson Reed. Aybar, Santana, and Smith all drove in runs, expanding the lead to 15-5.

Junior William entered and pitched a perfect ninth frame, locking up a 15-5 victory for the Hot Rods.

Kaleb Corbett (4-2) picked up the win, tossing 2.0 scoreless innings, allowing just three hits while striking out two. Brandon Cain (0-1) was given the loss, surrendering two runs on one hit over 1.1 innings, walking two and striking out one.

The Hot Rods and Grasshoppers play the penultimate game of the series with a 5:30 PM CT first pitch at First National Bank Field. Bowling Green’s starter is to be determined and will face Greensboro RHP Jack Anker (1-1, 5.96).

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