Carson Williams blistered a go-ahead bases clearing double in the sixth inning to collect a lead and eventually a 9-6 win for the Bowling Green Hot Rods over the Hickory Crawdads on Saturday at LP Frans Stadium in Hickory, N.C.

The Hot Rods (28-29) notched their first run of the game in the top of the first off Crawdads starter Emiliano Teodo. Dru Baker singled, while Williams and Willy Vasquez worked walks to load the bases. Kenny Piper walked, scoring Baker to make it a 1-0 ballgame.

In the top of the second, Blake Robertson put Bowling Green up 2-0 with a solo blast to center field. 

Bowling Green continued its scoring against Teodo in the top of the third. Williams and Bob Seymour smacked back-to-back singles to put runners on first and third. Vasquez grounded into a force out at second, plating Williams to move the score to 3-0. After Vasquez was thrown out trying to steal second, Piper walked and moved up to third on a base hit from Nick Schnell. A passed ball allowed Piper to score, increasing the Hot Rods’ lead to 4-0.

Hickory (24-34) quickly tied it against Bowling Green starter Austin Vernon in the bottom of the fourth. Max Acosta walked, stole second and scored on an RBI single from Abimelec Ortiz. Daniel Mateo secured a base hit and Frainyer Chavez homered over the right-field wall, tying the game at 4-4.

In the top of the sixth, the Hot Rods took back the lead off Crawdads reliever Reid Birlingmair. Robertson and Baker hit back-to-back singles, and Brock Jones walked to load the bases. Williams emptied the bases on a double to left, putting Bowling Green up 7-4.

Hickory answered back in the bottom half of the inning with a sacrifice fly from Chavez off Bowling Green reliever Keyshawn Askew. 

Bowling Green added some insurance in the top of the ninth against Hickory reliever Ricky DeVito. Williams led off with a walk, stole second and came around to score on an RBI triple by Seymour to make it 8-5. Vasquez singled to center, plating Seymour to increase the lead to 9-5.

The Crawdads scored a run in the ninth, but Hot Rods reliever Nate Dahle kept the lead to push Bowling Green to a 9-6 win.

Askew (4-5) collected the win, allowing a run on six strikeouts and two hits over 3 1/3 frames. Birlingmair (0-1) took the loss, lasting two innings while surrendering three runs on three hits and a walk while totaling four strikeouts.

The Hot Rods and the Crawdads play the finale of a six-game series on Sunday with first pitch set for 1 p.m. CT.