The Bowling Green Hot Rods were victimized by the long ball, falling 4-1 to the Dayton Dragons on Thursday at the Bowling Green Ballpark.

BG starter Jason McEachern only allowed four hits in seven innings, but three of those hits left the park, allowing the Dragons to take a second straight game and secure the series win over the Hot Rods.

“He pitched well, but the balls that were up they made him pay for it,” BG manager Brady Williams said. “We just couldn’t manage anything offensively tonight to battle back.”

Dayton (35-48 overall, 6-8 second half) hit a pair of homers in the first, taking a lead it would never relinquish.

After McEachern issued a one out walk to DiDi Gregorius, Henry Rodriguez hit his second homer in as many nights, a towering two-run shot that cleared the bullpen in right field.

Two batters later, Mark Fleury got in on the act, with a homer to right-center that made the score 3-0.

“I felt good, but I left four or five pitches up,” McEachern said. “At this level they are definitely going to take advantage of it. It’s going to happen – that’s baseball. Left pitches up and you are going to get hurt. You have to learn to get them out.”

Fleury struck again in the fourth, with his second homer of the night to almost the exact same spot as the previous homer.

McEachern would allow just one more hit – a double to Rodriguez – in the final three innings of work. The right-hander worked a season high seven innings, with five strikeouts and three walks.

“I just kind of settled down,” McEachern said. “Me and (catcher Mark Thomas) were on the same page. I talked to him and he said, ‘Yeah, those balls were up.’ The sinker wasn’t really sinking. I can’t have that, so I just relaxed … tried to get the ball down and let them get themselves out.”

While McEachern settled down after the first, Bowling Green (38-45, 7-7 second half) was unable to deliver any offensive support.

The Hot Rods left a runner in scoring position in the first inning and two runners on in the third, but their best chance to get back in the game came in the fourth. With one out, Gabe Cohen reached on a bunt single and Thomas followed with a double off the wall in right-center, putting runners at second and third.

Bennett Davis then popped up to second, but BG was still able to score when Cohen came home on a wild pitch.

Bowling Green wouldn’t get any closer, with three Dayton pitchers holding the Hot Rods hitless over the final five innings. Cohen was the only Hot Rod to get on base after the fourth, reaching on a catcher’s interference in the sixth.

“We hit a lot of balls hard,” Williams said. “We just hit it right at them. Sometimes that is the way it goes. The hits we did have were somewhat soft. That is the way baseball is sometimes. We just have to get back at it tomorrow.”

About the only bright spot for Bowling Green came out of the bullpen, where Tyree Hayes threw two scoreless innings in his return from the disabled list for an undisclosed injury.

“It was good to see him out there and it was good to see him throw some off-speed (pitches) for strikes when he was behind in the count,” Williams said. “It was good for him to get out there and get his feet wet. Hopefully, next time out he can do the same thing.”

Robi Estrada paced the offense with two hits, while Cody Rogers added another hit. Rogers has now hit in all three games he’s played since joining the Hot Rods.

Bowling Green will look to avoid the sweep when the series, and homestand, concludes at 7:05 p.m. tonight. Right-hander Kirby Yates (1-2, 2.25 ERA) will take the mound for the Hot Rods, opposing Dayton righty Ricky Bowen (2-2, 4.59 ERA).

With a three city, nine-game road trip looming – Williams said it is important for Bowling Green to end the series on a high note.

“We want to win every game,” Williams said. “Without a doubt we have to come with the right attitude tomorrow and get after it and see what happens.”

Notes — Estrada extended his hitting streak to a career high eight games. … To make room for Hayes, catcher Dave Wendt was transferred to Hudson Valley. … Bowling Green is now 1-2 in home series in the second half, but 2-0 in road series.