Bowling Green, Kentucky – Ryan Cermak clobbered two home runs, including a 483-foot homer in the third inning, but the Bowling Green Hot Rods (79-47, 32-29) couldn’t overcome the Greenville Drive’s (58-67, 32-20) offense in a 9-6 loss at Bowling Green Ballpark in Bowling Green, Kentucky.
The Hot Rods struck first with one run in the bottom of the first inning against Drive starter Jason Gilman. Brendan Summerhill lofted a base hit to right-center field, swiped second base, and moved to third on a wild pitch. Tony Santa Maria guided a sacrifice fly to right field, plating Summerhill for a 1-0 Bowling Green lead.
Greenville tied the game with one run in the top of the second inning against Bowling Green starting pitcher Dominic Fritton. Isaiah Jackson rolled a single to right and scored from first on a Yophery Rodriguez double to center field, evening the contest at 1-1.
The Drive snatched the lead with three runs against Fritton in the top of the third inning. Jake Shaffner singled, Owen Hull reached on an error, and Luke Heyman powered a three-run home run to right field, making it 4-1 Greenville.
Bowling Green plated three runs in the bottom of the third against Gilman. Santa Maria and Narciso Polanco earned one-out walks and Cermak uncorked a three-run blast to center field, tying the game at 4-4.
Greenville plated one run in the top of the fourth inning off Fritton. Antonio Anderson tripled to center field and touched home on a Skylar King base knock to right, making it 5-4.
The Drive added another run against Fritton in the top of the fifth inning. Jackson drilled a two-out double, and back-to-back walks by Yophery Rodriguez and Anderson loaded the bases. A wild pitch brought Jackson in from third base, handing Greenville a 6-4 lead.
The Hot Rods drew level with two runs in the fifth inning against reliever Brandon Neely. Polanco doubled to left field and Cermak clubbed a two-run home run to right-center, squaring the game at 6-6.
Greenville bounced back with one run in the top of the sixth inning against reliever Jadon Bercovich. Hull lifted a solo home run to center field, giving the Drive a 7-6 advantage.
The visitors tacked on two insurance runs in the eighth against bullpen arm Mason Nichols. Nazzan Zanetello walked, King singled to center, and Shaffner earned a free pass to load the bases. Hull hit a two-run double to right field, boosting Greenville’s lead to 9-6.
Reliever Joey Gartrell kept the Greenville lead intact with two scoreless innings, finishing a 9-6 final score.
Neely earned the win with 3.0 innings in relief, allowing two runs on two hits, and adding six strikeouts. Bercovich (1-1) was charged with the loss, surrendering one run on one hit with two punch outs in 1.1 innings. Gartrell (1) delivered the save with 2.0 shutout frames, giving up just one hit, and striking out one.
The Hot Rods and Drive continue this six-game series on Thursday night at 6:35 PM CT. Bowling Green will send RHP Trevor Harrison (3-2, 5.15) to the mound against Greenville LHP Dylan Brown (4-7, 3.69).
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