Spurred by a five-run eighth inning, including an Aidan Smith three-run double, the Bowling Green Hot Rods took an 8-6 win over the Greensboro Grasshoppers on Friday at Bowling Green Ballpark.

Bowling Green (9-10) started the scoring in the bottom of the third inning against Greensboro starter Connor Wietgrefe. Adrian Santana singled and scored on an Èmilien Pitre triple, giving the Hot Rods a 1-0 lead. Mac Horvath followed with a sacrifice fly, plating Pitre to push the Bowling Green advantage to 2-0.

The Grasshoppers (14-5) answered with two runs in the top of the fourth against Hot Rods starter Santiago Suarez. Omar Alfonzo singled and moved to third on a Javier Rivas single. An error on a Keiner Delgado fly ball to center field allowed both runners to score, tying the game at 2-2 in the fourth.

The Grasshoppers took the lead in the top of the sixth with Suarez still on the mound. Esmerlyn Valdez doubled, Rivas singled, and Delgado pushed Valdez across with a sacrifice fly, putting Greensboro ahead 3-2.

The Hot Rods countered in the bottom of the sixth with a Daniel Vellojin solo blast to right off Grasshoppers reliever J.P. Massey, evening the score at 3-3.

Bowling Green retook the lead with five runs in the bottom of the eighth against Greensboro reliever Carlos Jimenez. Horvath reached first on a bunt single and moved to second on a Vellojin base hit. Hunter Haas walked to load the bases and Bryan Broecker pushed in a run with a walk, handing the Hot Rods a 4-3 lead.

Vellojin scored on a Santana walk, followed by a Smith three-run double, advancing the Hot Rods’ lead to 8-3.

Greensboro plated three in the top of the ninth on a Lonnie White Jr. home run, but Bowling Green held on for an 8-6 victory.

Jackson Lancaster (1-0) earned the win, hurling two hitless innings while striking out three and walking none. Carlos Jimenez (1-1) took the loss, allowing five runs on three hits, while striking out four and walking three over 1 2/3 frames.

Bowling Green looks for back-to-back wins over Greensboro on Saturday with another matchup starting at 4:05 p.m. at Bowling Green Ballpark. The Hot Rods will send out right-hander TJ Nichols (0-1, 4.66 ERA) against Greensboro righty Hung-Leng Chang (0-1, 6.55 ERA).