Hot Rods top Braves in walk-off thriller, extend win streak to 9 games
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – Luis Trevino hit a walk-off single to lead the Bowling Green Hot Rods (47-21) to their ninth straight victory in a 4-3 win over the Rome Braves (33-35) 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 Hot Rods scored two runs in the top of the first against Rome starter Jared Shuster. Pedro Martinez singled with one out and advanced to second on a stolen base. One out later, Jacson McGowan doubled to score Martinez and give the Hot Rods a 1-0 lead. Grant Witherspoon followed McGowan with a triple, plating McGowan and increasing Bowling Green’s edge to 2-0.
Rome made it a 2-1 game after Rusber Estrada scored on Riley Delgado’s single in the fifth, but the Hot Rods extended their lead in the bottom of the inning. Jones led off the frame with a solo blast off Matt Hartman, his 12th of the season, that went 408-feet over the left-center wall to put Bowling Green in front with a 3-1 advantage.
The Braves plated another run in the sixth to draw closer, eventually tying the game in the top of the ninth against Hot Rods reliever Carlos Garcia. Bowling Green came up to the plate in the ninth inning to face Braves reliever Tyler Ferguson. Connor Hollis led off with a single and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Hill Alexander. In the next at-bat, Trevino singled to center, scoring Hollis and walking off the Braves 4-3.
