Edwards Extra-Innings Homer Walks off Braves 8-6
Bowling Green, Ky. – Evan Edwards’ two-run homer in the bottom of the 10th sent the Bowling Green Hot Rods (68-30) home with an 8-6 walk-off win over the Rome Braves (43-54) on Wednesday at Bowling Green Ballpark in Bowling Green, Kentucky. The two teams play the third game of a six-game series on Thursday with a 6:35 PM CT first pitch.
The Braves cracked onto the scoreboard first in the top of the second inning. Jesse Franklin hit a solo homer to give Rome the lead, 1-0. Rome scored two more in the third on RBI hits from Shean Michel and Michael Harris, increasing the Braves edge to 3-0.
Bowling Green brought in a run in the bottom of the third against Rome starter Tanner Gordon. Erik Ostberg launched his first solo homer of the night, putting it over the wall in right-center to bring the deficit to 3-1. The Braves answered in the top of the fourth with two runs, pushing their lead to 5-1.
Ostberg struck again in the bottom of the fifth with Gordon still on the bump. With one out, Ostberg launched his second homer of the night, this time down the right-field line. It was his 11th homer of the year, and brought the Hot Rods within three runs, 5-2.
Rome tacked on one more run in the top of the seventh, extending their advantage to 6-2. Bowling Green used a massive bottom of the eighth frame against Braves reliever Zach Daniels to tie the game. The Hot Rods brought in four runs, including consecutive RBI base hits from Brett Wisely, Curtis Mead and Edwards. An out later, Jordan Qsar tied the game with a sacrifice fly, scoring Wisely and tying the game 6-6.
Trevor Brigden struck out the side in the top of the 10th to give the Hot Rods a chance to win. In the bottom of the frame, Edwards stepped up to the plate with two outs and Alika Williams at second base as the extra-innings runner. Edwards crushed a long ball 422 feet to left-center, walking off with a Hot Rods win 8-6.
John Doxakis tossed 5.0 innings, allowing five runs on seven hits while striking out five in a no-decision. Nathan Witt pitched one perfect inning. Zack Trageton surrendered one run on two hits with three strikeouts over 2.2 innings. Trevor Brigden (5-0) hurled 1.1 scoreless innings, walking one and striking out three in his fifth win of the season.
