Beech Tree News Network

Bowling Green’s 16 hits fall short of season-high, Harney goes 3.2 frames in first start  

Rome, Georgia – Brock Jones recorded his seventh homer, adding to the Bowling Green Hot Rods (3-2, 34-32) 16 hits that pushed them to a 7-3 victory over the Rome Braves (2-3, 32-39) on Thursday at AdventHealth Stadium. 

Bowling Green began the scoring in the top of the first against Rome starter Daniel Martinez. Jones rocketed a line drive over the right field wall to put the Hot Rods up 1-0. The Braves tied it in the bottom of the third off Hot Rods starter Sean Harney. Bryson Horne doubled and came around to score on a single from Ignacio Alvarez, moving the score to 1-1. 

In the top of the fourth, Kenny Piper and Jalen Battles singled, while Dru Baker walked to load the bases. Jones knocked a base hit to right, scoring Piper and Battles to make it a 3-1 ballgame. Jones stole second to allow Baker to score from third on the throw down, increasing Bowling Green’s lead to 4-1.  

The Hot Rods scored off Martinez again in the top of the fifth. Bob Seymour led-off with a single and came around to score on an RBI triple by Willy Vasquez. Piper collected a base hit to right, plating Vasquez to make it a 6-1 ballgame.  

After the Braves scored a run in the bottom of the sixth off Hot Rods reliever Cade Halemanu, Bowling Green answered back against Rome reliever J.J. Niekro in the top of the seventh. Seymour led-off with a double and moved up to third on a groundout. He scored on a sacrifice fly from Piper, putting the Hot Rods up 7-2. The Braves scored one in the bottom of the seventh, but Hot Rods reliever Alfredo Zarraga shutdown the Braves for the final 2.0 innings to carry Bowling Green to a 7-3 win. 

Halemanu (2-0) earned the win, letting up two runs on four hits, two walks, and three strikeouts over 3.0 frames. Martinez (2-3) took the loss, lasting 4.0 innings while allowing six runs on nine hits, three walks, and six strikeouts. Zarraga (3) let up two hits and struck out four over 2.1 scoreless frames to notch the save. 

Bowling Green and Rome play game three of a six-game series on Friday with first pitch set for 6:00 PM CT. The Hot Rods are rolling out RHP Austin Vernon (3-2, 7.44), while the Braves are starting RHP Luis Vargas (4-3, 4.80) 

Fans can catch all the action by watching on MiLB.tv or listening through the MiLB First Pitch App, tuning into Talk 104.1 FM and 930 AM WKCT, or visiting https://www.milb.com/bowling-green/fans/audio-listen-live. 

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Hot Rods Baseball