Beech Tree News Network

Bowling Green, Kentucky– Evan Edwards hit a go-ahead home run in the fifth inning to propel the Bowling Green Hot Rods (32-15) to a 3-2 win over the Greensboro Grasshoppers (28-22) on Wednesday afternoon at Bowling Green Ballpark in Bowling Green, Kentucky. The two teams will play the third game of a six-game set on Thursday evening with a 6:35 PM CT first pitch.   

The Grasshoppers drove in the first run of the game in the top of the first against Hot Rods starter Jacob Lopez. Matthew Frazier led off the game with a solo home run to right-center to give Greensboro a 1-0 lead. The Grasshoppers added another run in the top of the third with Lopez still on the mound. With two outs, Liover Peguero singled and advanced to second on a stolen base. Aaron Shackleford drove him home with a double to increase the Greensboro edge to 2-0. 

The Hot Rods brought in their first run in the bottom of the third inning against Greensboro starter Michael Burrows. Greg Jones was hit by a pitch to lead off and moved to third on a stolen base and throwing error. Edwards brought him in with a sacrifice fly to cut the deficit to 2-1. The Hot Rods added another run in the fourth with Burrows still on the mound. Grant Witherspoon led off with a walk and stole second base. Luis Trevino drove him in with a double off the base of the wall in right field to even the score at 2-2. 

Bowling Green pulled ahead in the fifth against Grasshoppers reliever Garrett Leonard. Edwards jumped on the second pitch he saw leading off the inning and hit a 423-foot homer to right that gave the Hot Rods a 3-2 advantage. The homer was Edwards’ ninth of the season and put the Hot Rods in front for the first time. Bowling Green held on to the one-run lead, earning their 33rd victory of the season.  

Lopez pitched 3.1 innings, giving up two runs on five hits while striking out seven in a no-decision. Carlos Garcia struck out one and recorded two outs. Tanner Dodson (2-0) hurled 2.0 perfect innings, earning a win. Michael Costanzo earned a hold, tossing 1.0 inning with a walk and a strikeout. Miller Hogan was also credited with a hold while allowing a hit with two strikeouts. Colby White (1) earned his first save after allowing a walk with a strikeout in a scoreless ninth inning.  

Notes: Edwards has homered in three of his last four games… He’s hit four home runs during that stretch… Edwards has a five-game hit streak… He also has an RBI in four straight games… His two RBIs makes this his fifth multi-RBI game this year Alexander has a hit in each of the last five games he’s recorded a plate appearance… Bowling Green is 6-2 in day games… The Hot Rods are 14-7 when opponents score first… BG is 3-2 this season when having the same amount of hits as their opponent… Bowling Green is 19-5 in the month of June… The win evens the all-time series against the Grasshoppers, 3-3… The Hot Rods and Grasshoppers play the third game of a six-game series Thursday with a 6:35 PM CT first pitch… The Hot Rods send RH Jayden Murray (6-0, 1.90) to the mound against Grasshoppers RH Braxton Ashcraft (1-0, 3.09)… Fans can catch all of the action by watching on MiLB.tv or listening through the MiLB First Pitch app, tuning into WBGN 94.5 FM and 1340 AM, or visiting https://www.milb.com/bowling-green/fans/audio-listen-live. 

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Hot Rods Baseball is presented by MedCenter Health