Hot Rods Grand Slam Spoils Series Opener

ASHEVILLE- In some games it only takes one swing of the bat to decide a winner. Tuesday night Carson Williams of the Bowling Green Hot Rods had one swing that made all the difference. The Asheville Tourists led 3-0 until Williams belted a Grand Slam. Bowling Green went on to win the game 4-3.

The Tourists scored two of their three runs in the bottom of the first inning. Ryan Wrobleski connected with an RBI single and Tommy Sacco Jr. drew a bases-loaded walk. Miguel Palma added a two-out RBI single in the fourth and the Tourists built a 3-0 lead.

Luis Angel Rodriguez kept the Hot Rods offense silent with five no-hit innings. Rodriguez struck out four and walked just one. The lefty was denied his first win with Asheville thanks to Williams’ sixth inning blast.

After the Grand Slam the Tourists’ offense had one more good opportunity. Asheville put runners at the corners with one out in the eighth; however, a double-play ball ended the threat. Zach Cole hit a two-out double in the ninth but was left aboard when the game ended on a fly out.

Deylen Miley pitched the final four innings out of the Asheville bullpen. Miley retired 11 of the final 12 Hot Rods hitters he faced. Deylen’s 108 strikeouts on the season places the right-hander in top ten in the South Atlantic League.