Hot Rods Game Notes SAL DS Game 1
September 13, 2022 – South Atlantic League (SAL) – Bowling Green Hot Rods News Release
Tonight’s series-opener in the three-game set is the lone game played away from Bowling Green Ballpark and carries a 6:00 PM CT first pitch.
You can listen to tonight’s Hot Rods broadcast of the game on the MiLB First Pitch app (IOS and Android) or by listening to Talk 104.1 FM and 930 AM WKCT. The Rome Braves will also provide an MiLB.tv feed for those looking to secure highlights of the game.
The Stage is Set… After a tight 2022 season series, the Hot Rods and Braves meet for a three-game series in the Divisional Round of the 2022 South Atlantic League playoffs. The Hot Rods won the season series 13-11 with a 7-5 record at home and 6-6 at AdventHealth Stadium. The Braves have outhit BG with a .230 average in the season series to the Hot Rods .219, but BG has outscored Rome 110-101. The Braves have homered 25 times to the Hot Rods 20 this season, and have struck out less (228 to 254). BG’s pitching staff has a series ERA of 3.88 to Rome’s 3.77 but the walks are very close (95 for BG to 96 for Rome). BG has turned more doubleplays, though, with 17 to eight.
Rolling Into the Playoffs… Bowling Green earned their fourth-straight win on Saturday, taking down the Greensboro Grasshoppers 8-5 in a back-and-forth contest. Heriberto Hernandez drove in three runs to set a new single-season RBI record. His two RBI hits gave the Hot Rods a lead in the in the fifth and seventh innings. Alexander Ovalles drove in two runs for the second-straight game, going 1-3 with a double and two runs scored. Matthew Dyer was perfect at the plate, going 2-2 with a walk, and Michael Berglund hit a solo homer for the second consecutive game to provide some insurance in the eighth.
Playoff Notes… The Hot Rods have made the playoffs for six-straight years… They’ve made the playoff on nine occassions in their history… BG has won two titles, 2018 (Midwest League) and 2021 (South Atlantic League)… Jordan Qsar and Grant Witherspoon own the BG record for homers in a postseason and playoff series with three each…
One and Done… The Hot Rods and Braves will play just one game at AdventHealth Stadium on Tuesday before returning to Bowling Green Ballpark on Thursday, following Wednesday’s travel day. If game-three is necessary, it will also be played in Bowling Green.
Defending Champs… Jeff Smith led the Hot Rods to their second-ever league title in 2021, and has them back in the postseason in 2022. It’s the sixth-straight season the Hot Rods have reached postseason play, skippered by Smith (2X), Craig Albernaz (1X, 2018), and Reinaldo Ruiz (3X, 2016, 2017, 2019) in this stretch.
Clinched!… BG finished the first half leading their division for the third time in club history, clinching a playoff spot with 2018’s Midwest League Champions and again in 2011. (there were no halves in 2021). The 2011 team finished the first leg of the season with a 41-29 record while the 2018 Hot Rods set a franchise record with 47 wins in the first half and a record of 47-22. The 2022 club became the third Hot Rods team to the 40-win mark in a half.
Records Broken… A few Hot Rods players are closing in on club records entering into the last week of the 2022 regular season. Heriberto Hernandez passed Jordan Qsar (2021) for the team’s single-season home run record with his 24th in the fifth inning on Wednesday. Hernandez passed 2011 Hot Rods lefty Philip Wunderlich for the team RBI record of 86 with three RBIs on Saturday. His record stands at 89. Hernandez also owns the franchise strikeout record, previously held by Josh Lowe (2017, 144). Anthony Molina tied the franchise win record of 13 on Thursday, set by George Jensen (2011).
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