Two Runs in the Eighth Avenge Walkoff in Split of Doubleheader

Wilmington, Delaware– The Bowling Green Hot Rods (16-10) split a doubleheader in the series finale against the Wilmington Blue Rocks (13-13), falling in game one on a 6-5 walkoff and scoring two in extra innings to win 2-1 in game two. The Hot Rods return to Bowling Green on Tuesday to begin a six-game set with the Jersey Shore BlueClaws, with first pitch at 6:05 PM CT on May 10.

Game one started off quickly when a leadoff walk to Alika Williams and a RBI double off the bat of Osleivis Basabe started off the scoring for BG. Basabe took advantage of a throwing error that put Diego Infante on first and Basabe ran home on the errant throw to grow the lead to 2-0. Alexander Ovalles drove Infante home from second after Heriberto Hernandez walked two batters prior. Bowling Green’s 3-0 lead became 3-2 after Wilmington hit two of four bottom-half hits for RBI singles, and a two-run homer from Israel Pineda made it 4-3 Blue Rocks after the third.

Bowling Green tied things up in the sixth, after a leadoff single and stolen base by Ronny Simon, Ovalles drove him in with his second RBI single of the day to even things up at four. The game went into extra innings and each team added a run in the first frame of free baseball. The second pitch of extra innings was a double down the line from Hernandez to score the extra runner Infante from second and give the Hot Rods a 5-4 lead. Wilmington quickly struck back to keep the game alive in the bottom half and tie things up on a third RBI from Israel Pineda. In the ninth inning Cole Daily lined an RBI single into left field to plate the winning run and give the Blue Rocks a 6-5 game one win.

Nathan Wiles’ second start of the year ended after 3.0 innings, allowing four runs on six hits while striking out three. Franklin Dacosta had his best outing of the season, throwing 3.0 scoreless frames, allowing three hits with a walk and two strikeouts. Joe LaSorsa (2-1) suffered his first loss of the season, allowing two unearned runs in 2.1 innings of work with a strikeout and a walk.

Game two was a pitcher’s duel, without an extra base hit until the fifth inning and a scoreless game until extra innings, when the Hot Rods started off the eighth with a run. Alika Williams started on second base and immediately scored on a line drive up the middle from Pedro Martinez. Williams was waved around third by manager Jeff Smith and scored on a close play at the plate to give the Hot Rods a 1-0 lead. Heriberto Hernandez bounced an automatic double over the left centerfield wall to score Martinez and grow the lead to 2-0. An Israel Pineda RBI single cut the deficit in half, but Sean Mullen earned his fourth save of the year to secure the Hot Rods 2-1 win.

Seth Johnson (ND) threw 5.0 shutout innings in his longest outing of the season, striking out four and walking three. Conor Dryer (2-0) earned his second win of the year in 2.2 innings of work, he allowed one unearned run and struck out three. Mullen only needed to throw two pitches to earn the save, inducing a flyout to the only batter he faced.

Notes: The game one walkoff marked the first series that the Hot Rods lost in 2021… Basabe extended his hit streak to ten games, the longest hit streak for a Hot Rod in the current season… Basabe is tied with Wilmington’s Darren Baker for the longest active hit streak in the SAL… Hernandez hit two doubles in game one, his third game with multiple extra base hits in 2022… He ends off Sunday’s doubleheader with the league lead in doubles and extra base hits… Infante recorded hits in both games to extend his hitting streak to five games… Seth Johnson matched his longest career outing, going five innings for the tenth time in his pro career… Mullen’s save in game two tied him with two other players for the lead in the SAL… Martinez has recorded hits in three of his seven games this season, each game he had two hits… His go-ahead RBI in the eighth was his first of the season… The Hot Rods return home after a two-week road trip, set to face the Jersey Shore BlueClaws after Monday’s off-day… First pitch is set for 6:05 pm CDT on Tuesday, May 10… Fans can listen into the game on Talk 104.1 FM and 930 AM WKCT beginning with the Hot Rods Pregame Show at 5:35 PM CDT… Fans can also listen in via the MiLB First Pitch app on Android and IOS, or go to the Hot Rods website at www.bghotrods.com.

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Hot Rods Baseball