Hot Rods set franchise record with 11th straight win in 5-4 walkoff vs. Rome
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – The Bowling Green Hot Rods (49-21) won their franchise record-setting 11th straight game in walk-off fashion against the Rome Braves (33-37), 5-4, in 11 innings on Friday at Bowling Green Ballpark in Bowling Green, Kentucky. The two teams play again on Saturday with a 6:35 PM CT first pitch.
The scoring didn’t start until the bottom of the fifth inning when Bowling Green scored a run against Rome starter Alan Rangel. With two outs, Connor Hollis walked and advanced to second on a stolen base. Grant Witherspoon brought him in to score with a base hit to center to give Bowling Green a 1-0 lead.
The Hot Rods scored another run in the bottom of the sixth, this time against Braves reliever Marrick Crouse. With one out, Jordan Qsar launched a solo homer over the wall in right-center. This was Qsar’s team-leading 14th home run and gave the Hot Rods a 2-0 edge.
Rome scored two runs in the top of seventh, tying the game 2-2, eventually forcing extra-innings. Rome plated a run in the top of the 10th against Hot Rods pitcher Chris Gau. Logan Brown started the inning at second base as a placed runner and moved to third on a single from Beau Phillip. Shean Michel drove in Brown with a base hit to give the Braves the lead 3-2.
In the bottom of the 10th, the Hot Rods tied the game against Rome reliever Justin Yeager. Evan Edwards was the placed runner at second and came in to score on a Blake Hunt triple to tie the game, 3-3. In the top of the 11th, Rome scratched across another run to take the lead again, this time 4-3.
Tyler Ferguson took the mound in the bottom of the 11th inning to face Bowling Green. Michael Gigliotti was placed at second base and came in to score on a single by Jones to tie the game 4-4. Jones stole second and moved to third on a Witherspoon base hit. In the next at-bat, Curtis Mead hit a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Jones and walking off the Braves for Bowling Green’s franchise record 11th straight win.
Jacob Lopez pitched 5.0 scoreless innings, letting up just two hits and striking out eight in a no-decision. Trevor Brigden tossed 2.0 innings, allowing two runs on two hits while striking out three in a blown save. Colby White pitched 2.0 hitless innings while striking out three and walking one. Chris Gau (2-1) earned his second win of the season, giving up two unearned runs on three hits.
