Winston-Salem, North Carolina – The Bowling Green Hot Rods (78-44, 31-26) used a four-run top of the tenth to capture an 11-7 extra-innings victory over the Winston-Salem Dash (68-55, 30-27) on Friday at Truist Stadium in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
Bowling Green started hot with two runs in the top of the first inning against starting pitcher Justin Sinibaldi. Tony Santa Maria walked, Narciso Polanco singled and Ryan McCoy worked a free pass to load the bases. Nicandro Aybar rolled a two-run single to right-center field, plating Santa Maria and Polanco for a 2-0 lead.
The Dash quickly turned the game around with two runs in the bottom of the first inning against Hot Rods starter Noah Beal. Three straight base runners reached to load the bases. George Wolkow hit a sacrifice fly to left field, making it 2-1. Kaleb Freeman earned a bases-loaded walk to even the game at 2-2.
The Hot Rods struck back with two runs in the top of the third against Sinibaldi. Polanco singled and came into score on two errors, giving Bowling Green a 3-2 edge. McCoy singled, moved to third on an Aybar base hit, and crossed home on an RBI groundout by Carlos Colmenarez to push the lead to 4-2.
Bowling Green held onto the lead thanks to some fantastic relief pitching from Kaleb Corbett. The right-hander hurled a season-best 4.1 scoreless innings to preserve the Hot Rods’ two-run cushion.
Winston-Salem pulled one run back in the bottom of the sixth inning against relief arm Andy Rodriguez. James Taussig doubled to left-center, advanced to third on a Freeman single, and scored on a Jackson Appel sacrifice fly to center, cutting the lead to 4-3.
Bowling Green immediately responded with three runs in the top of the seventh inning against reliever Drew Conover. McCoy dribbled an RBI single, Aybar clubbed a run-scoring triple, and Colmenarez stroked a single to balloon the Hot Rods’ advantage to 7-3.
The Dash rallied with four runs in the bottom of the eighth against Ryan Andrade. Ely Brown sliced a two-out single and Javier Mogollon blasted a three-run homer to tie the game at 7-7.
Winston-Salem failed to tally a run against Garrett Gainey in the bottom of the ninth, bringing the game to extra innings. The Hot Rods profited, hanging four runs against the Dash bullpen. A pinch-hit single by Ricardo Gonzalez gave Bowling Green the advantage, Santa Maria took a bases-loaded hit by pitch, and Ryan Cermak powered a two-run single to left field, boosting the Bowling Green lead to 11-7.
Gainey shut the door in the bottom of the tenth inning, retiring all three batters to secure an 11-7 Hot Rods win.
Gainey (4-2) received the win, hurling 2.0 innings of scoreless relief, allowing two hits while walking one and striking out four. Landen Payne (1-1) was given the loss, surrendering two runs (one earned) on one hit while striking out three over 1.1 innings.
The Hot Rods and Dash play the penultimate game of a six-game series Saturday at 5:30 PM CT. Bowling Green sends RHP Trevor Harrison (3-1, 4.84) to the mound against Winston-Salem LHP Grant Umberger (9-7, 4.87).
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