Shane Sasaki was a perfect 4-for-4 with a go-ahead two-run homer in the bottom of the fifth inning that helped solidify a 5-4 win for the Bowling Green Hot Rods over the Hickory Crawdads on Thursday night at Bowling Green Ballpark.

Hickory (12-16) began the scoring in the top of the first against Bowling Green starter Patrick Wicklander. Josh Hatcher thumped a solo homer over the left-field wall to give the Crawdads a 1-0 lead.

In the bottom of the second, Keyber Rodriguez singled and Marcus Smith walked to put runners on first and second. After Rodriguez stole third, he scored on a disengagement balk from Wicklander to increase the lead to 2-0.

Bowling Green (14-14) pounded Hickory starter Kumar Rocker for five runs in the bottom of the fifth. Nick Schnell blasted a solo homer over the right-field wall to make it a 2-1 ballgame. Blake Robertson doubled and scored on a two-run home run by Sasaki to move the score to 3-2. Carson Williams walked, stole second and scored on an RBI single from Junior Caminero to put Bowling Green up 4-2.

After Caminero moved up to second on a wild pitch, he was plated on an RBI single from Bob Seymour to increase the lead to 5-2. 

Hickory scored a run in the seventh and eighth inning, but Antonio Menendez shut out the Crawdads in the top of the ninth to carry Bowling Green to a 5-4 victory.

Wicklander (1-1) tossed six innings, allowing two runs on six hits, two walks and six strikeouts to notch the win. Rocker (2-2) picked up the loss, allowing five runs on six hits, a walk and five strikeouts. Menendez earned his second save by striking out one in a scoreless frame.

The Hot Rods and Crawdads play game four of a six-game series on Friday with first pitch set for 6:35 p.m. Bowling Green is starting J.J. Goss (0-1, 5.75), while Hickory has yet to determine a starter.