Bowling Green, Kentucky – The Bowling Green Hot Rods (62-26, 15-8) pitching staff fanned 15 batters on Saturday night, coasting to an 11-3 win over the Winston-Salem Dash (50-39, 12-11) at Bowling Green Ballpark.
Winston-Salem gained the lead with one run in the top of the first inning against Bowling Green starter Jose Urbina. Jeral Perez reached on a dropped third strike, George Wolkow singled, and James Taussig smacked an RBI double into right-center field, scoring Perez for a 1-0 Dash advantage.
The Hot Rods struck back with two runs against Dash starting pitcher Tommy Vail in the bottom of the second. Ryan McCoy lined a leadoff double, Noah Myers dropped a bunt single down the third-base line, and a Winston-Salem throwing error plated McCoy to level the game at 1-1. Myers moved to third on a Carlos Colmenarez sacrifice bunt and wound up scoring on a balk, handing the Hot Rods a 2-1 lead.
Bowling Green pulled away with four runs in the bottom of the third inning against Vail. Nathan Flewelling tagged an RBI single to make it 3-1, Myers hit an RBI groundout for a three-run cushion, and Colmenarez hammered a two-run double, increasing the Hot Rods lead to 6-1.
Urbina would exit after a scoreless top of the fourth inning. The right-hander struck out eight, one off tying his career high.
The Hot Rods delivered one more run in the bottom of the fifth inning against bullpen arm Drew Conover. Two walks and a hit by pitch loaded the bases, Jhon Diaz drew another walk, plating Narciso Polanco for a 7-1 edge.
The Dash hit back for two runs against reliever Jack Kartsonas in the top of the sixth. Perez tagged a leadoff double and Taussig clubbed a two-run home run to right field, making it 7-3 Hot Rods.
Bowling Green answered back with three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning against reliever Jake Peppers. Connor Hujsak singled, swiped second, and crossed home on a Polanco RBI single to make it 8-3. McCoy added a single, teeing up a Myers two-run double to left field, ballooning the Hot Rods’ lead to 10-3.
The Hot Rods added one more run in the bottom of the seventh inning against reliever Jake Bockenstedt. Diaz legged out a leadoff double and Hujsak laced an RBI single into left-center field, blooming the lead to 11-3.
Reliever Andres Galan held the Dash bats scoreless in the ninth, rounding out an 11-3 final score.
Cade Citelli (5-0) received the win with 1.2 scoreless frames and a season-high four strikeouts, allowing just one hit. Vail (0-1) took the loss, surrendering six runs on six hits, one walk and five strikeouts over 2.2 innings pitched.
The Hot Rods and Dash close their three-game series Sunday afternoon at 1:05 PM CST. Bowling Green will send RHP Trevor Harrison (1-1, 5.13) against Winston-Salem LHP Jake Umberger (6-6, 5.57).
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