Three Early Homers Propel Hot Rods to Victory

July 10, 2022 – South Atlantic League (SAL) – Bowling Green Hot Rods News Release

Bowling Green, Kentucky – Three homers in the first three innings helped the Bowling Green Hot Rods (50-29) jump out to an early lead against the Hickory Crawdads (44-37) and cruise to an 11-4 victory on Sunday at Bowling Green Ballpark. BG will take Monday off and travel to Rome on Tuesday to face the Braves.

Kyle Manzardo started off the scoring in the first for Bowling Green, smacking a two-out solo home run off of Mason Englert to open up the scoring. BG kept it going in the third, starting the inning with a leadoff walk to Michael Berglund. Ronny Simon hit a 1-2 pitch into the right field bullpen to make it 3-0. A one-out walk to Manzardo set up a home run with two outs off the bat of Mason Auer that increased the lead to 5-0.

Hickory loaded the bases in the seventh and scored their first run of the ballgame on a walk to cut the Hot Rods lead to 5-1. BG stormed back in the bottom half, working two-consecutive walks before Alika Williams was hit by Crawdads reliever Tyree Thompson to load the bases. Manzardo brought two runs home on an RBI single and moved Williams to third to make it 7-1. Alexander Ovalles drove Williams home on a sacrifice fly in the next at-bat to bring the lead to 8-1.

BG added three more runs in the eighth, which began with a leadoff single from Heriberto Hernandez. Johan Lopez added a double before both runners were driven in by Simon to make it 10-1. Williams singled before Manzardo drove in another run to give BG an 11-1 lead. Hickory added three in the ninth, but the Hot Rods took the series finale by an 11-4 margin.

Nathan Wiles tossed 4.0 innings and allowed two hits with a strikeout in a no-decision. Evan Reifert (2-0) retired all three batters he faced in the fifth with a strikeout to earn his second-consecutive victory. Anthony Molina tossed 3.0 innings with two hits and a run allowed, walking two and striking out three. Audry Lugo pitched the final 1.0 inning, allowing three runs on two hits with two walks and a strikeout.

Notes: Reifert has six strikeouts in his first three innings with Bowling Green… Manzardo’s first-inning homer was his 10th at Bowling Green Ballpark and 11th of the season… He is the only Hot Rods hitter with double-digit homers at home…Wiles tossed his third scoreless outing of the season… He hasn’t allowed a run in two of his 12 starts this season… Hernandez hit his 20th double of the season in the…