The Bowling Green Hot Rods battled through, downing West Michigan 7-6 in 10 innings on Friday at Bowling Green Ballpark.

Bowling Green (35-26) overcame deficits of three and two runs, then saw the Whitecaps tie it with two outs in the ninth inning before Wander Franco delivered an RBI single to help the Hot Rods snap a three-game skid.

The Whitecaps led twice in the first sixth innings, but the Hot Rods were able to battle back both times.

West Michigan got an unearned run in the first and added a two-run homer from Hector Martinez in the fourth to build a 3-0 lead off BG starter Easton McGee.

Chris Betts helped the Hot Rods pull even in the bottom of the fourth, lacing a two-run single to right-center before eventually scoring on a wild pitch to make the score 3-all.

The Whitecaps regained the lead on a two-run homer by Ulrich Bojarski in the sixth, but Betts was in the middle of another three-run rally in the bottom of the sixth that gave Bowling Green its first lead of the night.

After Kaleo Johnson cut the deficit to one on an RBI double, Betts tied the score with an RBI single. Betts eventually moved to third and appeared to be caught in a rundown trying to score on a soft groundout. During the rundown, Whitecaps catcher Chris Proctor collided with Betts – allowing Betts to score the go-ahead run on defensive interference.

It stayed 6-5 until the ninth, when Zach Malis lined a two-out, two-strike single to right to tie the score.

West Michigan had a chance to regain the lead in the 10th with a runner at third and one out, but Bowling Green’s Joel Peguero got a strikeout and ground out to keep it tied.

On the first pitch of the bottom of the 10th, Franco hit a soft liner between third and short to score Michael Smith from second and set off a wild celebration between first and second base.

Peguero earned the win, his first decision of the season, despite blowing his first save as a Hot Rod.

Betts and Franco paced the offense with two hits each.

HALL OF FAME NIGHT

The Hot Rods officially inducted 2013-14 alum Blake Snell into the franchise’s Hall of Fame.

A plaque recognizing Snell was unveiled entering the stadium and the first 999 fans received a Blake Snell bobblehead doll. The Hot Rods also played a video from Snell in the middle of the fifth inning thanking the franchise for the honor.

The 2018 Cy Young winner with the Tampa Bay Rays joins inaugural members Matt Moore and Kevin Kiermaier in the Bowling Green Hot Rods Hall of Fame.

UP NEXT

The series continues at 6:35 p.m. Saturday.

Right-hander Shane Baz (2-0, 1.44) is scheduled to start for the Hot Rods. Baz has not allowed a run in his last two starts, spanning 10 innings. He faced West Michigan on May 20, allowing two runs and four hits in five innings of work.

Right-hander Gio Arriera (2-3, 6.98) is scheduled to start for the Whitecaps. Arriera is 2-2 with a 7.89 ERA in five road starts. He faced the Hot Rods on May 20, allowing two earned runs and six hits in 5 2/3 innings.{&end}