Simon Powers Bootleggers to Victory

Bowling Green, Kentucky– Ronny Simon smacked the go-ahead home run and ultimately put the game out of reach with a second homer as the Bowling Green Bootleggers (18-11) hung on to beat the Jersey Shore BlueClaws (10-18) by a score of 6-5. The Bootleggers transform back into the Hot Rods for Friday’s showdown against Jersey Shore, with first pitch set for 6:35 pm CDT.

Jersey Shore scored two in the first inning, but Bowling Green struck back in a big way in the second. Heriberto Hernandez halved the BlueClaws lead with his sixth homer of the season to make it 2-1. Pedro Martinez led off the third with an infield hit. He stole his first base of the season before Simon gave Bowling Green a 3-2 lead with a home run down the rightfield line. Simon struck again in his next at bat, hitting a three-run blast near the same spot with two outs in the fourth inning to make it 6-2 Bootleggers.

The BlueClaws fought back in the sixth, adding three runs on a two-run homer by McCarthy Tatum and an RBI triple to cut the Bootleggers lead to 6-5. But the Bootleggers bullpen clamped down, retiring the final nine batters in order for a 6-5 win.

Franklin Dacosta threw 3.0 innings and allowed two runs on four hits with two strikeouts in a no-decision. Conor Dryer (3-0) threw two scoreless frames and struck out two in the process while earning the win. Sean Mullen came in for 2.1 innings of work, he allowed three runs on five hits and struck out three. Joe LaSorsa closed things out for the Bootleggers, throwing 1.2 perfect innings with three strikeouts and earned his third save.