Emperors rally past Hot Rods for 4-3 win
Published 7:37 pm Saturday, April 12, 2025
- Bowling Green Hot Rods second baseman Emilien Pitre (7) bats in their 9-3 loss to the Rome Emperors at Bowling Green Ballpark on Thursday, April 10, 2025. GRACE MCDOWELL / DAILY NEWS
The Bowling Green Hot Rods’ pitching staff struck out 12 batters, but dropped the penultimate game of the series 4-3 to the Rome Emperors on Saturday at Bowling Green Ballpark.
Bowling Green (4-4) plated the first run of the game in the bottom of the first inning against Rome starter Didier Fuentes. Aidan Smith led off with an infield single and advanced to second on an Émilien Pitre hit by pitch. Smith advanced to third on a Mac Horvath flyout and scored on a Noah Myers sacrifice fly, giving the Hot Rods a 1-0 lead.
The Emperors (4-4) countered with two runs in the fourth against Hot Rods starter Gary Gill Hill. Patrick Clohisy crushed a leadoff homer to right to level the score at 1-1. Justin Janas singled, moved to third on a Bryson Horne single and scored on a Horvath throwing error to give Rome the lead, 2-1.
Bowling Green retook the lead with two runs in the fifth with Fuentes still on the mound. Bryan Broecker earned a leadoff walk and moved to second on a Raudelis Martinez sacrifice bunt. Smith tripled to left to tie the game at 2-all and scored on a Pitre sacrifice fly to put the Hot Rods ahead, 3-2.
Rome’s Lizandro Espinoza evened the score at 3-3 on a solo shot to left field off Bowling Green reliever TJ Fondtain. The Emperors took a 4-3 lead in the top of the ninth courtesy of four walks from Hot Rods reliever Jack Snyder, with the final free pass plating Jace Grady from third with Clohisy drawing the go-ahead walk. Bowling Green went down in order in the bottom of the ninth, ending the game with a 4-3 Rome win.
Rob Griswold (1-0) earned the win, hurling 1 1/3 innings while allowing no hits and striking out one. Snyder (0-1) took the loss, allowing one run on four walks with two punchouts over 2/3 of an inning. Samuel Strickland notched his first save of the season, recording the final two outs for Rome.
The Hot Rods look for a series split as they face Rome at 1:05 p.m. on Sunday in Bowling Green. The Hot Rods will send out right-hander Santiago Suarez (0-0, 8.10) against Emperors lefty Adam Maier (0-1, 9.00).
