Bowling Green Hot Rods short stop Brayden Taylor (20) sprints home to tie the game in the sixth inning in the Hot Rods’ 3-2 win over the Emperors at the Bowling Green Ballpark on Wednesday, June 12, 2024. (Grace Ramey McDowell/grace.ramey@bgdailynews.com)

Brayden Taylor was a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate with a solo homer in the Bowling Green Hot Rods’ 5-2 victory over the Hickory Crawdads on Tuesday at L.P. Frans Stadium in Hickory, North Carolina.

Bowling Green (35-29) jumped ahead in the top of the first inning against Hickory starter D.J. McCarty. Taylor launched a first pitch leadoff home run, giving the Hot Rods a 1-0 lead.

The Hot Rods added three runs in the top half of the third, still facing McCarty. Gionti Turner singled to lead off the inning and came across to score on a Taylor double. Taylor was plated on a two-run blast by Cooper Kinney, moving the score, 4-0.

Hickory (27-37) responded in the bottom of the fourth against Hot Rods starter Owen Wild. Sebastian Walcott singled and moved to third on a Luis Mieses double to right. Quincy Scott grounded out to the pitcher, which allowed Walcott to score and cut into the Bowling Green lead, 4-1.

The Crawdads plated another run in the bottom of the seventh against Hot Rods reliever Jonny Cuevas. Anthony Gutierrez walked and stole second to put a runner in scoring position. Ian Moller doubled to center, scoring Gutierrez from second to make it 4-2 Hot Rods.

Bowling Green added insurance in the top of the ninth against Hickory reliever DJ Peters. Turner slapped a solo home run to left, increasing the Hot Rods’ lead to 5-2.

Hot Rods reliever Jack Hartman tossed a scoreless ninth, sealing a 5-2 victory for Bowling Green.

Wild (2-0) earned the win, allowing a run on two hits, a walk and four strikeouts over six innings. McCarty (0-3) took the loss, allowing four runs on six hits, a walk and seven strikeouts over seven frames. Hartman secured the save, giving up a hit and striking out one.

Bowling Green and Hickory play game two of a six-game series on Wednesday with first pitch set for 11 a.m. CT. The Hot Rods are scheduled to start right-hander Roel Garcia (4-3, 4.98), while the Crawdads are starting righty Ryan Lobos (3-2, 3.33).