Emilien Pitre’s ninth-inning homer wasn’t enough to complete a comeback for the Bowling Green Hot Rods in the 7-5 loss to the Winston-Salem Dash on Tuesday at Truist Stadium in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

Bowling Green (15-13) scored the first runs of the game in the top of the first inning against MLB rehabber Jesse Scholtens. Adrian Santana led off with a walk and Aidan Smith tripled him home. One out later, Mac Horvath lifted a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Smith, giving Bowling Green a 2-0 lead.

The Dash answered in the bottom of the first inning against Hot Rods starter Gary Gill Hill. Sam Antonacci doubled, and Braden Montgomery homered to left, tying the game, 2-2.

Each team brought in a run in the second inning. Bowling Green received a two-out RBI single from Raudelis Martinez and Winston-Salem scored on a Samuel Zavala base hit, keeping the game tied, 3-3.

Winston-Salem gained the lead in the bottom of the third inning with Gill Hill still on the mound. Jeral Perez was hit by a pitch and Montgomery hit his second homer of the game, giving the Dash a 5-3 lead.

The Dash plated additional runs in the sixth and seventh innings on doubles from Zavala and Wes Kath, making it 7-3.

In the top of the ninth, the Hot Rods plated their final runs against Dash reliever Carson Jacobs. Martinez walked, and two outs later, Pitre homered to left, bring the score to 7-5. That was all the offense the Hot Rods could muster, losing 7-5 to the Dash.

Tommy Vail (1-0) earned the win, going four hitless innings, allowing four walks while striking out four in his first win of the season. Gill Hill (1-1) was given the loss, surrendering six runs on nine hits, walking two and striking out two.

The Hot Rods and Dash play the second game of a six-game series on Wednesday with a 5:30 p.m. CT first pitch at Truist Stadium. Bowling Green will send out right-hander Santiago Suarez (0-1, 1.85) against Winston-Salem lefty Jake Bockenstedt (1-2, 4.68).