Shane Sasaki returned to the lineup, while Dominic Keegan and Kameron James logged multi-hit games, but the Bowling Green Hot Rods dropped a 5-2 ballgame to the Aberdeen IronBirds on Thursday at Leidos Field at Ripken Stadium in Aberdeen, Md.

Aberdeen (46-38 overall, 13-7 second half) broke onto the scoreboard in the bottom of the first off Bowling Green starter J.J. Goss. Ryan Higgins walked and moved up to third base on a double by Dylan Beavers. Creed Willems grounded out to second, moving Beavers to third and scoring Higgins to make it a 1-0 ballgame. Beavers stole home off Goss, putting the IronBirds up 2-0.

The Hot Rods (43-39, 12-9) answered back in the top of the third off IronBirds starter Cameron Weston. Dominic Keegan singled and Nick Schnell doubled to put runners on second and third. Kameron James doubled to left center, scoring Keegan and Schnell, tying the game at 2-2.

In the bottom of the fourth, Isaac DeLeon and Collin Burns worked back-to-back walks to put runners on first and second. Maxwell Costes homered over the left-field wall, moving the score to 5-2. Neither team would score the rest of the way, ending in a 5-2 Bowling Green loss.

Weston (2-1) earned the win, allowing two runs on five hits and nine strikeouts over five innings. Goss (3-4) took the loss, allowing five runs on three hits, four walks, and two strikeouts over 3 2/3 innings. Daniel Lloyd picked up the save over four scoreless frames with seven strikeouts. 

The Hot Rods and IronBirds play game four of a six-game series on Friday with first pitch set for 6:05 p.m. CT. Right-hander Duncan Davitt (1-1, 4.13) starts for Bowling Green, while righty Kyle Brnovich starts for Aberdeen (0-0, 0.00).