Beech Tree News Network

Hot Rods pound out 12 hits and walk 12 times in series-opening victory 

Hickory, North Carolina – Heriberto Hernandez homered and drove in four runs while Diego Infante had another three-hit game in the Bowling Green Hot Rods (4-0) 14-7 victory over the Hickory Crawdads (2-2) in the opening game of a six-game series on Tuesday night. The Hot Rods and Crawdads continue their series with a special 10:00 AM CT first pitch on Wednesday at L.P. Frans Stadium in Hickory, North Carolina.  

The Hot Rods jumped out to an early lead in the top of the first against Crawdads starter Ricky Vanasco. Alika Williams worked a walk and Diego Infante singled to right. Heriberto Hernandez lifted a high fly ball to right, clearing the bases with a three-run homer that gave the Hot Rods a 3-0 edge. The homer was Hernandez’s first of the season.  

Bowling Green added two more runs in the third against Hickory reliever John Matthews. Matthew Dyer led off with a four-pitch walk and scored when Hernandez doubled to the wall in left. Logan Driscoll singled to move Hernandez to third, but an errant pickoff at first allowed Hernandez to score giving the Hot Rods a 5-0 advantage. 

BG plated two more runs against Matthews in the fourth. Ronny Simon led off with a double to right and stole third, scoring when Williams singled to left through the Crawdads infield. Williams moved to second on an errant pickoff throw to first and went to third on a ground ball. Williams scored on a wild pitch, making it a 7-0 lead for Bowling Green.  

The Hot Rods added runs in the fifth and sixth to take a 9-0 lead, with Hickory scoring a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth. Bowling Green added three runs in the seventh, but the Crawdads brought home five in the bottom of the frame highlighted by Trevor Hauver’s grand slam. BG bounced back in the top of the ninth with two more runs, going on to win 14-7.  

Franklin Dacosta threw 4.0 shutout innings, holding Hickory to one hit and a walk with four strikeouts in a no-decision. Matthew Peguero (1-0) allowed two runs, both earned, on three hits with a walk and two strikeouts in a win. Addison Moss threw 2.0 innings while allowing five unearned runs on four hits with two walks. Sean Mullen threw the last inning, striking out one while allowing a hit. 

Notes: Bowling Green has scored first in all four games this season… The first three leadoff hitters of the game for BG all walked… The first five hitters to leadoff innings for the Hot Rods reached by either walks or hits… BG set a season-high in runs scored… The previous high was 13 runs… The Hot Rods took 12 walks and struck out 10 times… Infante had his second three-hit game of the season… Hernandez had four RBIs… It was his second multi-hit game of the year and second multi-RBI game of 2022… His homer in the first was the third long-ball of the season for BG… The Hot Rods are the first team in the South Atlantic League to make it to 4-0… The Aberdeen Ironbirds are also 4-0, but their game concluded after Bowling Green’s on Tuesday… The Hot Rods and Crawdads continue their series on Wednesday with a 10:00 AM CT first pitch… Fans can listen into the game on Talk 104.1 FM and 930 AM WKCT beginning with Hot Rods Gameday at 12:50 PM… 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… Tickets are on sale for the Hot Rods next homestand against the Rome Braves at the Box Office, www.bghotrods.com and by calling 270-901-2121.