Haas Launches Two-Run Homer in Hot Rods 8-5 Loss

Lakewood, New Jersey – Hunter Haas smacked his first home run of the season, but the Bowling Green Hot Rods (13-12) were out-hit nine to seven in an 8-5 loss to the Jersey Shore BlueClaws (12-13) on Friday from ShoreTown Ballpark.

In the top of the first, Bowling Green plated two runs off Jersey Shore starter Eiberson Castellano. Cooper Kinney walked, Xavier Isaac singled, and Brock Jones walked to load the bases. Haas raced out an infield single to score Kinney from third and make it a 1-0 ballgame. Isaac scored on from third on a wild pitch to extend the lead 2-0.

After the BlueClaws scored two runs in the bottom of the second, The Hot Rods scratched another run across against Castellano in the top of the third. Chandler Simpson singled and stole second and third to put a runner in scoring position. A throwing error from Jersey Shore third baseman Felix Reyes allowed Simpson to score, putting Bowling Green up 3-2.

Jersey Shore tied it up again in the bottom of the fourth and took the lead on a solo home run by Cade Fergus off Bowling Green starter Roel Garcia. The BlueClaws extended the lead to 8-4 with four runs in the bottom of the seventh against Hot Rods reliever Jake Christianson.

Haas blistered a two-run home run off BlueClaws reliever Wesley Moore in the top of the eighth, but went scoreless in the ninth to lose, 8-5.

Trey Dillard (1-0) snatched the win, letting up two hits and striking out one over 1.2 scoreless innings. Garcia (1-1) took the loss, allowing four runs on five hits, two walks, and four strikeouts over 6.0 innings. Daniel Harper (2) locked down the save, allowing a hit and striking out one in a shutout ninth.

The Hot Rods and the BlueClaws play the penultimate of a six-game series on Saturday with first pitch set for 3:05 PM CT. RHP Trevor Martin (2-1, 3.71) starts for Bowling Green, while LHP Braeden Fausnaught (2-0, 1.74) takes the ball for Jersey Shore.