The Bowling Green Hot Rods were unable to keep up with the Dayton (Ohio) Dragons offense, falling 13-7 on Friday at Bowling Green Ballpark.

Dayton (34-51 overall, 6-9 second half) scored in six of the nine frames, using an 18-hit attack to rough up the Hot Rods and split the four-game home-and-home series.

Dayton jumped out to an early lead and was able to thwart every BG comeback attempt.

The Dragons got three runs in the first inning off Shane Baz – including a two-run homer from Pablo Manzanero – but the Hot Rods answered with a pair in the bottom of the inning.

Brian Rey’s sacrifice fly extended Dayton’s lead to 4-2 in the top of the third before Bowling Green (50-35, 11-4) tied it with two in the bottom of the inning.

Dayton came right back – scoring three times in the fourth to chase Baz and regain a 7-4 advantage.

Chris Betts homered in the fifth and the Hot Rods added an unearned run in the sixth to inch closer, before Dayton got another sac fly from Rey in the seventh to get some insurance.

Another unearned run cut the deficit to 8-7 in the bottom of the seventh, but the Dragons got the run back in the eighth and added four in the ninth to put the game away.

Baz suffered his first loss of the season. The left-hander, who had allowed seven earned runs in 34 innings prior to Friday, allowed seven runs in 3 1/3 innings.

Osmy Gregorio paced the offense with three hits. Betts, Jordan Qsar, Jonathan Aranda and Roberto Alvarez finished with two hits each.

ROSTER MOVE

Before the game, the Hot Rods announced left-handed pitcher Cristopher Sanchez has been promoted to High A Port Charlotte (Fla.), with right-hander Nathan Witt added to the roster.

Sanchez earned the win in relief Thursday and leaves Bowling Green with a 16-inning scoreless streak. Witt was acquired by the Tampa Bay Rays for Casey Sadler earlier this week and joins the Hot Rods after appearing in 22 games in relief for Great Lakes (Mich.) Witt had a 5.32 ERA in 23 2/3 innings with 31 strikeouts and seven walks

UP NEXT

The Hot Rods begin a three-game series with West Michigan on Saturday at 6:35 p.m. at Bowling Green Ballpark.

Right-hander Alan Strong (5-4, 3.53) is scheduled to start for the Hot Rods. Strong earned the win, his first in more than a month, tossing seven shutout innings at Lansing (Mich.) on Sunday. He has yet to face West Michigan this season.

Right-hander Gio Arriera (2-5, 6.84) is scheduled to start for West Michigan. Arriera is winless in his last eight starts, allowing 30 earned runs in 36 1/3 innings. He is 0-1 in two starts against the Hot Rods, allowing six runs – four earned – in 11 1/3 innings.{&end}