Brooklyn Cyclones outfielder Nick Morabito (22) leads off from third base as Bowling Green Hot Rods pitcher Roel Garcia III (29) delivers a pitch at the Bowling Green Ballpark in Bowling Green, Ky., on Wednesday, May 15, 2024. The Hot Rods win the series opener, 14-5. (Daily News photo by Joe Imel/joe.imel@bgdailynews.com)

Mac Horvath knocked in three runs in his Bowling Green Hot Rods debut, helping lead them to a 7-2 victory in the opening game of the series against the Rome Emperors (10-21, 46-49) on Wednesday at AdventHealth Stadium in Rome, Georgia.

The first run of the game scored in the top of the fifth inning against Rome starter Jhancarlos Lara. Homer Bush Jr. led off with a single and stole second base. Bush advanced to second on a groundout from Xavier Isaac, and Tre Morgan brought him in to score on an RBI base hit, giving Bowling Green (56-40 overall, 20-10 second half) a 1-0 lead.

The Hot Rods added more in the top of the sixth against Lara and Emperors reliever William Silva. Morgan reached on a fielder’s choice with two outs. Cooper Kinney reached on a fielding error by Rome shortstop E.J. Exposito and both runners advanced on a wild pitch. Horvath drove in both runners with a base hit, making it a 3-0 game.

Colton Ledbetter continued the inning with an RBI double to score Horvath, extending the Bowling Green lead to 4-0.

Rome (46-49, 10-21) scored its first run in the bottom of the seventh against Bowling Green reliever Jake Christianson. Ethan Workinger led off with a triple and scored on a Jace Grady RBI single, making it a 4-1 game.

Three more runs were plated by Bowling Green in the top of the eighth against Rome reliever Ryan Bourassa. Morgan collected a one-out single and scored on a Horvath double. Ledbetter drove in Horvath with a double of his own, and Tatem Levins made it three consecutive RBI doubles in the next at-bat, stretching the Hot Rods’ lead to 7-1.

Rome plated a run in the bottom of the ninth, but Bowling Green held strong, winning 7-2. 

Roel Garcia III (7-4) picked up the win, tossing two scoreless innings of relief allowing one hit and no walks while striking out one. Lara (0-2) received the loss, hurling 5 2/3 innings, surrendering two runs (one earned) on three hits while walking three and striking out nine.

The Hot Rods and Emperors play the second and third game of a six-game series with a doubleheader on Thursday with a 4 p.m. CT first pitch at AdventhHealth Stadium. Bowling Green will send out right-hander Brody Hopkins (0-0, 0.00) for game one and righty Dylan Lesko (1-9, 6.46) for game two, while lefty Mitch Farris (3-3, 3.23) and right-hander Tyree Thompson (2-1, 4.79) are slated to start for the Emperors.