Horvath, Robertson power Hot Rods to 6-4 win

Published 6:39 pm Sunday, April 20, 2025

Mac Horvath and Blake Robertson homered to help the Bowling Green Hot Rods split the series with the Hub City Spartanburgers with a 6-4 win on Sunday at Fifth Third Park in Spartanburg, South Carolina.

The Hot Rods (8-7) started the scoring in the top of the first inning against Spartanburgers starter Dylan MacLean. With two outs in the inning, Horvath blasted a solo homer, making it 1-0 Bowling Green.

Hub City (8-7) responded with a run in the bottom of the first against Bowling Green starter TJ Nichols. With one out, Anthony Gutierrez singled and stole second base. An errant pickoff attempt to second by Nichols brought Gutierrez in to score, tying the game 1-1.

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Bowling Green regained the lead in the top of the second inning with MacLean still on the mound. Hunter Haas led off the inning with a double and came in to score on a sacrifice fly from Ryan Spikes and a throwing error from Gutierrez, giving the Hot Rods a 2-1 lead.

Hub City tied the game with a solo homer from Casey Cook in the bottom of the fourth, making it a 2-2 game.

The Spartanburgers added another run in the bottom of the fifth against Hot Rods reliever Chris Villaman. Marcus Smith led off with a triple and scored on a sacrifice fly from Theo Hardy, giving Hub City a 3-2 lead.

Two runs came in to score for the Hot Rods in the top of the sixth inning against Spartanburgers reliever Jose Gonzalez. Adrian Santana led off with a walk and scored on a Horvath single and Marcus Smith error. Horvath later came in to score on a wild pitch, boosting the Hot Rods to a 4-3 lead.

The Hot Rods added two more runs between the eighth and ninth innings. In the eighth, Emilien Pitre doubled and Noah Myers knocked him in with a double of his own.

In the ninth, Blake Robertson blasted a solo homer, bringing it to a 6-3 Hot Rods lead.

Hub City brought in one run in the bottom of the ninth, but Hot Rods relievver Jack Snyder locked up the win, 6-4.

Chris Villaman (2-0) earned the win for Bowling Green, going 2 1/3 innings, allowing one run on one hit while striking out two. Gonzalez (0-1) took the loss, surrendering three runs (two earned) on five hits, walking one and striking out five. Snyder picked up his second save of the season, striking out one and allowing one run on three hits over an inning.

The Hot Rods will head back to Bowling Green Ballpark to start a six-game series with the Greensboro Grasshoppers on Tuesday.