Jones and Isaac Homer Twice in Hot Rods’ Doubleheader Sweep

May 9, 2024 – South Atlantic League (SAL)
Bowling Green Hot Rods News Release

Bowling Green, Kentucky – The Bowling Green Hot Rods (16-14) swept a doubleheader against the Greensboro Grasshoppers (16-13), taking Game One, 6-3, and Game Two, 8-7, on Thursday at Bowling Green Ballpark.

In Game One, the Hot Rods started the scoring in the bottom of the second against Grasshoppers starter J.P. Massey. Cooper Kinney led-off with a single and scored on a double by Hunter Haas to make it a 1-0 ballgame.

After Greensboro took a 2-1 lead in the top of the third against Hot Rods starter Duncan Davitt, Bowling Green answered back with two of their own in the bottom half of the inning. Chandler Simpson reached second on a fielding error by Grasshoppers shortstop Mitch Jebb and stole third to put a runner in scoring position. Xavier Isaac walked and stole second, allowing Simpson to score on the throw down to tie the game, 2-2. After Isaac moved to third on a throwing error by Jebb, he scored on a sacrifice fly by Brayden Taylor to put Bowling Green up 3-2.

The Grasshoppers tied it up in the top of the fifth, but the Hot Rods scored two more runs in the bottom half off Greensboro reliever Jaden Woods. Blake Robertson singled and Angel Galarraga was hit by a pitch to put runners on second and first. Both runners moved up to third on a sacrifice bunt by Simpson and scored on a base hit from Isaac to make it 5-3.

Brock Jones blasted a solo homer in the bottom of the sixth, and T.J. Fondtain closed it out in the seventh to finalize the score, 6-3.

Duncan Davitt (2-2, 4.06) earned the win, letting up three runs (two earned) on seven hits, a walk, and seven strikeouts over 6.1 frames. J.P. Massey (2-3, 5.73) took the loss, allowing five runs (three earned) on three hits, two walks, and four strikeouts over 4.0 innings. Fondatin (1) notched the save, recording the last two outs in a scoreless seventh.

In Game Two, Bowling Green began the scoring in the bottom of the first against Greensboro starter Wilber Dotel. Kinney singled, Isaac doubled, and Jones homered to clear the bases and make it a 3-0 ballgame.

Greensboro scratched across a run off Bowling Green starter Roel Garcia in the top of the second, but the Hot Rods scored three more runs with a three-run blast by Isaac to put Bowling Green up 6-1. The Grasshoppers cut the deficit to 6-5 with four runs in the top of the third off Garcia.

In the top of the fourth, Hudson Head plated two on an RBI double off Bowling…