Williams swats 21st homer as Hot Rods flatten Tourists 8-2

Published 10:23 pm Sunday, September 3, 2023

In the final road game of the season, Carson Williams hit a three-run home run in the first inning that led to an 8-2 win for the Bowling Green Hot Rods over the Asheville Tourists on Sunday at McCormick Field in Asheville, N.C.

Bowling Green (66-54 overall, 35-24 second half) scored the first runs of the game in the top of the first off Asheville starter Deylen Miley. Chandler Simpson led off with a walk and Shane Sasaki doubled to put runners on second and third. Williams homered to left, putting the Hot Rods up 3-0.

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In the top of the fourth, Brock Jones walked, Hunter Haas singled and Blake Robertson worked a walk to load the bases. After Asheville (48-73, 22-38) replaced Miley with reliever Walker Brockhouse, Sasaki ripped a double to center that moved the score to 5-0. Xavier Isaac doubled in Robertson and Sasaki from second and third, increasing the lead to 7-0.

The Tourists plated their first run of the game in the bottom of the sixth against Hot Rods reliever Yoniel Curet. Michael Sandle walked and Rolando Espinosa singled to put runners on first and third. Freddy Guilamo singled to right, scoring Sandle to make it 7-1.

After Asheville scored another run in the bottom of the eighth off Bowling Green reliever Nate Dahle, the Hot Rods responded against Tourists reliever Carlos Calderon in the top of the ninth. Haas singled and moved up to second on a wild pitch to put a runner in scoring position. Robertson laced a double to left, plating Haas to regain a six-run lead for Bowling Green.

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Hot Rods reliever Sandy Gaston shut down the Tourists in the bottom of the ninth, pushing Bowling Green to an 8-2 victory.

Curet (2-0) picked up the win, allowing a run on two hits, three walks and four strikeouts over 3 2/3 innings. Miley (2-7) took the loss, allowing six runs on four hits, six walks and seven strikeouts over 3 1/3 innings.

The Hot Rods enjoy a day off Monday before traveling back to Bowling Green Ballpark to face the Greensboro Grasshoppers in their final six-game series of the season. First pitch is set for Tuesday at 6:35 p.m.