Kinney Homers Again in Bowling Green’s 5-2 Victory
Game Recap: Bowling Green Hot Rods vs. Hickory Crawdads
Bowling Green, Kentucky – In a thrilling match held at L.P. Frans Stadium, Cooper Kinney stole the show with his second consecutive home run to cement the Bowling Green Hot Rods’ (36-29) victory over the Hickory Crawdads (27-38) with a final score of 5-2 Wednesday.
Early Advantage
The Hot Rods were off to a flying start when they took to the offensive in the first inning against Crawdads starter Ryan Lobus. Brayden Taylor was awarded a walk while Tre’ Morgan maintained his spot on the field courtesy a fielding error. This set the stage for Ryan Cermak who blasted a three-run homer, securing a comforting 3-0 lead for Bowling Green early on.
Back and Forth
The Crawdads retaliated in the second inning, taking on Hot Rods starter Roel Garcia. Konner Piotto scored a single, followed by Ben Blackwell who hit a double to the left. Devin Hurdle then batted Blackwell in from second base with a single, reducing the Hot Rods lead to 3-2.
But the Hot Rods were not going to allow their hard-earned lead fade away. In the third inning, Morgan hit an infield single and was driven home by the unstoppable Kinney, who secured a two-run homer, broadening the gap to 5-2 in favour of Bowling Green.
Despite a spirited late-stage effort from the Crawdads, Jake Christianson, closing for the Hot Rods, managed to take out the Crawdads’ lineup in order, securing the game at 5-2 in favor of Bowling Green.
Performance Statistics
Garcia, letting up just two runs on five hits with a walk and a strikeout over 5.0 frames, bagged the win for the Hot Rods, improving his season record to 5-3. In contrast, Lobus took the loss for the Crawdads. He allowed five runs (four earned) on three hits with a walk and five strikeouts, bringing his season record to 3-3. The relief pitcher Christianson pitched perfect innings to notch the save, his second of the season.
Looking Ahead
The six-game series between the Hot Rods and Crawdads will continue on Thursday with first pitch scheduled for 6:00 PM CT. The Hot Rods are set to start RHP Duncan Davitt (5-4, 3.11), while the Crawdads will counter with LHP Mitch Bratt (3-3, 4.60). As ever, fans are encouraged to follow the action through MiLB.tv, the MiLB First Pitch App and on the official Bowling Green Hot Rods site.
Fan attendance has been a buoyant factor in the Hot Rods’ current performance. They can book their seats for future home games by calling (270) 901-2121, visiting the Bowling Green Ballpark box office during normal business hours or through the official website.
