Hot Rods Strike Early, Pull Away Late as Drive Fall 7-3
Greenville, S.C. – The Bowling Green Hot Rods landed the first punch and the last one Friday night at Fluor Field, and the Greenville Drive couldn’t recover. A four-run first inning and a two-run homer in the ninth powered Bowling Green to a 7-3 win over Greenville in front of 5,221 fans.
The loss dropped the Drive back under .500 at 62-63, but the playoff chase remained alive thanks to an Asheville win over Hub City that kept Greenville two games back of first place in the South Division second-half standings with just 7 games left in the season.
Hot Rods Jump Ahead Early
Bowling Green wasted no time against Greenville starter Michael Sansone (L, 3-4). Adrian Santana and Émilien Pitre opened the game with back-to-back singles, and both advanced on stolen bases. After Blake Robertson’s sacrifice fly put Bowling Green on the board, Bryan Broecker broke things open with a three-run homer to left, his second of the season. By the time Sansone recorded the final out, the Hot Rods led 4-0.
Sansone settled in from there, retiring 10 of the next 11 batters, but the early damage proved costly.
Drive Battle Back
Greenville answered in the third when Henry Godbout singled and Justin Gonzales reached on an error. After Mason White lined out, Nelly Taylor came through with a clutch two-out, two-run double to deep center, cutting the deficit to 4-2…