Jeff Hakanson tossed a career-high seven strikeouts over three innings, but the Bowling Green Hot Rods fell just short of a comeback in a 5-3 loss to the Greensboro Grasshoppers on Friday at First National Bank Field in Greensboro, N.C.

Greensboro (59-50 overall, 23-22 second half) scored the first run of the game off Hakanson in the bottom of the third inning. Grasshoppers outfielder Luke Brown — a former Bowling Green High School standout — led off with a single and stole second to put a runner in scoring position. After moving up to third on a sacrifice bunt, Brown scored on a sacrifice fly from Tres Gonzalez to put the Grasshoppers up 1-0.

The Grasshoppers’ offense exploded for four runs in the bottom of the eighth off Hot Rods reliever Haden Erbe, highlighted by back-to-back homers from Wyatt Hendrie and Shawn Ross.

Bowling Green (58-48, 27-18) answered back against Greensboro starter Thomas Harrington in the top of the seventh. Kamren James blasted a solo home run to make it 1-0. After Grasshoppers reliever Jake Stevenson came into the game, Blake Robertson singled and Chandler Simpson walked to put runners on first and second. Robertson and Simpson moved up a base on a wild pitch and came around to score on a two RBI single by Shane Sasaki.

In the top of the ninth, Grasshoppers reliever Valentin Linarez closed it down to finalize the game, 5-3.

Thomas Harrington (2-4) earned the win, alllowing a run on two hits, two walks, and tallying eight strikeouts. Hakanson (0-1) took the loss, allowing a run on a hit and a walk to go with his seven strikeouts over three innings. Linarez struck out three over two perfect innings to notch the save.

Bowling Green and Greensboro play the penultimate of a six-game series on Saturday with first pitch set for 5:30 p.m. CT. Right-hander J.J. Goss (5-4, 4.70) starts for the Hot Rods, while righty J.P. Massey (1-3, 4.87) starts for the Grasshoppers.