Another championship banner is headed to Bowling Green Ballpark after the Bowling Green Hot Rods clinched the South Atlantic League championship with a 4-1 win at Hudson Valley in Game 3 of the best-of-three series.

Bowling Green was able to bounce back from its first loss in the postseason, using strong pitching and timely pitching to finish off the Renegades and claim the title. It’s Bowling Green’s third title in four years and the fourth since 2018.

“It’s not every year that you get to suit up and play playoff baseball, so I am glad that we were able to perform tonight,” BG manager Rafael Valenzuela said. “The message was just to go out and have fun and the other message was take a look around at the entire team because this might be the last time we are all together. They just wanted to go out with bang. I am glad the guys went out, played nice and relaxed the entire game and we were able to win one for Bowling Green.”

Hudson Valley used a big inning to extend the series with a 6-2 win on Tuesday. In Wednesday’s winner-take-all contest the Hot Rods never trailed with some late offensive heroics sealing the title.

Bowling Green plated two in the fourth on an RBI double by Aiden Smith and an RBI bunt single by Noah Myers. Hudson Valley got a run in the sixth, chasing starter Jackson Baumeister, but the bullpen was able to shut the Renegades down and set the stage for some late insurance by the Hot Rods.

That insurance came in the ninth on a two-run double by Myers. Drew Sommers closed it out, striking out three in the ninth to secure the title for the Hot Rods.

“The way we lost (on Tuesday) was very unfortunate, but the entire day when we showed up to the ballpark – the entire vibe – was just so relaxed and laid back,” Valenzuela said. “It didn’t even feel like it was a must-win Game 3. It just felt like another game and that was how the guys treated it.”

Baumeister, acquired in a trade with the Baltimore Orioles at the deadline, earned the win – allowing one run and three hits with seven strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings.

Myers paced the nine-hit attack with two hits.

The victory capped a 79-win season for the Hot Rods, the most wins in the South Atlantic League. The wins piled up despite a nearly complete roster overhaul that saw a handful of players on the opening-day roster – and key contributors – promoted during the season. Bowling Green also added more than a half-dozen players at the MLB trade deadline in late July who helped the Hot Rods close out the second half division title and playoff run.

“It was a crazy deadline for the Hot Rods,” Valenzuela said. “We sent some guys up. We got some other guys from trades, but they came in and fit right in with our group. They bought into the culture. Honestly, just watching them all celebrate on the field after that third out was awesome.”

Valenzuela added the sustained success by the franchise is rare, but something that should be celebrated by more than just the players and coaches.

“If I looked at all the minor league franchises I think Durham might be the only one that has had this much success,” Valenzuela said. “This is the people of Bowling Green. This is the front office – Kyle Wolz and Jack Blackstock – everybody involved. Everybody that puts in the timeless hours. They go above and beyond to make the Tampa Bay Rays happy. I am glad we were able to deliver tonight and I hope when we get home we are able to celebrate with everybody that’s involved in all of this.”