Hot Rods Fall 6-1 in Series Opener to Dragons

Dayton, OH- The Hot Rods were held to one run on five hits in a 6-1 loss to the Dayton Dragons at Fifth Third Field in Dayton Ohio on Tuesday night to open a four-game set. The Hot Rods fall to 23-14 in the second half and 62-45 overall with the second game of the series set for a 6:00 PM CDT first pitch on Wednesday.

The Hot Rods got to Reds 2019 first-round pick and Dayton starter Nick Lodolo in the first inning to take an early lead. Ford Proctor led off with a single and went to second on a passed ball, but Osmy Gregorio grounded into a fielder's choice that retired Proctor at third for the first out of the inning. With two outs, Ruben Cardenas lined a double to left, scoring Gregorio to give the Hot Rods a 1-0 advantage.
The Dragons batted around in the bottom of the second, plating three runs to take the lead against Bowling Green starter Matthew Liberatore. Miles Gordon led off by bunting for a single and went to second on a sacrifice bunt. Gordon stole third but was thrown out at the plate after Claudio Finol grounded into a fielder's choice at first to keep the game 1-0, Hot Rods. Mariel Bautista bunted for a single, moving Finol to second. Finol scored when Michael Siani singled to center, tying the game. Brian Rey came up in the next at-bat and struck a double to the warning track in right, scoring both Siani and Bautista to give the Dragons a 3-1 edge.
Dayton tacked on another run in the third, chasing Liberatore from the game. Gordon led off the inning, blasting his third home run of the season to extend Dayton's lead to 4-1. Miguel Hernandez followed with a double while Liberatore was removed from the game immediately after. Chris Muller entered out of the bullpen, retiring the next three Dragons to strand the runner and keep it a 4-1 game. Another run scored in the fifth with Siani take a bases-loaded walk against Muller to make it a 5-1 Dragons lead. The Dragons added one more in the eighth and went on to win the series opener, 6-1.
Liberatore (6-2) lasted two innings in a loss, allowing four runs on seven hits with four walks. Muller Let up a run on two hits with two walks and two strikeouts in his three innings of work. Cristofer Ogando allowed a run on three hits with three walks and two strikeouts over his three innings out of the bullpen.
Notes: Cardenas played in his first game as a Rays farmhand after being traded on Monday… He also collected his first hit, an RBI double, in his first plate appearance… Proctor extended his hit streak to five games… Betts has a three-game hit streak… The Hot Rods are 8-5 against the Dragons this season… Tuesday was the 19^th time BG lost when scoring the first run of the game… The Hot Rods are 14-15 against left handed starters this season… Liberatore's 2.0 innings of work is his shortest start of the season… BG is 21-13 in games that open a series… The Hot Rods are 10-34 when they are out-hit by the opponent… The Hot Rods and Dragons continue their four-game series on Wednesday with a 6:00 PM CDT first pitch… The Hot Rods have yet to announce a starter while the Dragons will send LH Connor Curlis (3-3, 3.02) to the mound… Fans can catch all the action with Shawn Murnin on Willie 107.9 and the Hot Rods Radio Network on the TuneIn Radio App, as well as, MiLB First Pitch app available for smart phone.
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