Bullpen Blanks Braves in 4-2 Win
Bowling Green, Kentucky– Victor Muñoz threw a perfect 3.0 innings for the Bowling Green Hot Rods (29-21, 70-45), who took down the Rome Braves (32-17, 68-47) in a 4-2 victory at Bowling Green Ballpark on Thursday. The Hot Rods and Braves will continue their six-game series on Friday with a
Bowling Green, Kentucky– Victor Muñoz threw a perfect 3.0 innings for the Bowling Green Hot Rods (29-21, 70-45), who took down the Rome Braves (32-17, 68-47) in a 4-2 victory at Bowling Green Ballpark on Thursday. The Hot Rods and Braves will continue their six-game series on Friday with a 6:35 PM CT first pitch.
The Braves jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the third, scoring on an RBI single and a steal of home plate. Bowling Green came out swinging in the home half, with Michael Berglund sending the first pitch of the inning out to right field for a double off the Braves starter Ian Mejia. Alexander Ovalles singled Berglund home to cut Rome’s lead in half. Dillon Paulson hit the first pitch of his at-bat into right to tie the game at two.
Bowling Green took the lead in the bottom of the seventh, with Braves Malcolm Van Buren walking the first three hitters to lead off the inning. Van Buren was pulled after the first out of the frame in favor of Ben Dum. He walked Alika Williams on four straight pitches to bring home the go-ahead run. Paulson drove in another on a sacrifice fly to centerfield that plated Mason Auer to make it 4-2. Bowling Green’s bullpen clamped down, keeping the Braves hitless after the third to close out a 4-2 victory.
Patrick Wicklander allowed two runs on two hits in 4.0 innings of work, striking out eight and walking four in a no-decision. Muñoz (3-2) earned the win in 3.0 shutout innings with one strikeout. Evan Reifert pitched 1.0 scoreless frame with two strikeouts. Antonio Menendez earned the save in 1.0 scoreless inning with one strikeout.
Notes: Wicklander tied a season-high with eight strikeouts… He also set a new career-high with four walks… Paulson has driven in a run in each of his first three games with BG… Thursday was his first multi-RBI game in BG… Williams tied his career-high with three walks in the second-straight game… Menendez faced the minimum in the ninth to earn his first save in his Bowling Green debut… BG is now 6-3 as the Bootleggers… Bowling Green and Rome will continue their series on Friday at Bowling Green Ballpark, with first pitch set for 6:35 PM CT… RH Logan Workman (4-3, 3.45) will start for the Hot Rods against Braves RH J.J. Niekro (2-2, 5.40)… The game is available to watch on MiLB.tv… Fans can listen to the game on Talk 104.1 FM and 930 AM WKCT and listen via the MiLB First Pitch app on Android and IOS, or go to the Hot Rods website at www.bghotrods.com... Fans can get their tickets for upcoming Hot Rods home games by calling 270-901-2121, visiting the Bowling Green Ballpark box office, or visiting www.bghotrods.com.
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