Mason Montgomery struck out nine batters, while Alika Williams had three hits in the Bowling Green Hot Rods’ 9-5 win over the Asheville Tourists to close out a five-game series and 12-game road trip Sunday in Asheville, N.C.

The Hot Rods (45-28 overall, 4-4 second half) return to Bowling Green Ballpark on Monday for the Jewelry Barn Fourth of July Spectacular, welcoming in the Hickory Crawdads. First pitch will be at 6:35 p.m. with the biggest fireworks show in southcentral Kentucky on display following Monday’s game. Fans can still get their tickets by calling 270-901-2121 or visiting www.bghotrods.com.

The Tourists (31-41, 5-3) started off the game with homers in the first and second innings to take a 2-0 lead. After going down in order the first time through the lineup, the Hot Rods responded in the fourth against Asheville starter Ryan Gusto. Ronny Simon and Pedro Martinez led off the frame with walks and Williams singled to load the bases. Kyle Manzardo singled off the wall in center field to make it a 2-1 game and Diego Infante’s sacrifice fly to score Martinez tied the game.

Mason Auer reached on an infield single moving Williams to third, while a wild pitch allowed him to score to make it a 3-2 game with BG taking the lead and Manzardo moving to third. Heriberto Hernandez singled, bringing home Manzardo to make it a 4-2 Hot Rods lead.

Simon led off the fifth with a bang, welcoming Tourists reliever Ernesto Jaquez with a solo homer to extend the BG lead to 5-2. Martinez was hit by a pitch and scored with two outs when Infante singled to make it 6-2. Luis Leon hit a two-run homer in the sixth to extend the lead to 8-2, with the Tourists getting runs back in the sixth and seventh to cut BG’s advantage to 8-4.

Each team scored a run in the eighth to make it a 9-5 with BG going on to win by the same score. 

Montgomery (3-2) allowed two runs on three hits with a walk and nine strikeouts over five innings in a win. Kyle Whitten allowed two runs on four hits over two innings with two walks and a strikeout. Sean Mullen threw the final two frames, allowing a run on two hits with a walk and two strikeouts.