Hot Rods pitching leads to fourth shut out of season

May 16, 2021

WNKY Staff,

Courtesy Hot Rods
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – The Bowling Green Hot Rods (9-3) took down the Asheville Tourists (4-7) in a 7-0 shutout on Sunday afternoon at Bowling Green Ballpark. The Hot Rods won the series 5-1 and have an off day Momday before traveling to Rome, Ga. for a 6 p.m. first pitch on Tuesday.

For the second straight night, Pedro Martinez scored in the bottom of the first inning. After back-to-back walks to Martinez and Grant Witherspoon, Jonathan Aranda doubled to right field off Asheville’s starter Blair Henley. Martinez scored and Witherspoon was thrown out at the plate trying to score the second run of the inning.

With a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth, Aranda added a second RBI with a solo home run off Henley. The ball left Aranda’s bat at 106 MPH, getting over the right-center field wall, giving the Hot Rods a 2-0 edge.

Niko Hulsizer walked to lead off the bottom of the sixth inning and moved to second after Aranda grounded out to second base against Tourists pitcher Jose Bravo. Roberto Alvarez brought Hulsizer in to score with a single to right, bringing the Hot Rods lead to 3-0.

With two outs in the bottom of the seventh, Jordan Qsar singled and Martinez doubled, putting runners at second and third for Witherspoon. With a 3-0 count, Witherspoon doubled the lead for Bowling Green, crushing a three-run homer towards the scoreboard in right field. Witherspoon’s fourth blast of the season gave the Hot Rods a 6-0 lead.

Already with a healthy advantage, Aranda led off the bottom of the eighth inning with a single. With one out, Alvarez stepped up to the plate and doubled home Aranda for his second RBI of the day, completing the Bowling Green scoring in the 7-0 victory.

Tanner Dodson opened the game, tossing 2.0 scoreless innings, allowing one hit with one strikeout. Peyton Battenfield (1-0) earned his first win of the season and struck out seven Tourists over 4.0 shutout innings while allowing two hits. Evan McKendry (1) finished the final 3.0 innings on the mound for BG, earning his first save of the season, holding Asheville to no hits and four strikeouts while closing out the Hot Rods fourth shutout of the season.