Bowling Green Hot Rods short stop Adrian Santana (8) bats in the Hot Rods’ 6-3 win over the Tourists at the Bowling Green Ballpark on Wednesday, May 14, 2025. Hot Rods take the first two games of the series with game 3 Thursday night. GRACE MCDOWELL / DAILY NEWS

Adrian Santana clubbed his first professional home run as the Bowling Green Hot Rods fell 8-4 to the Greenville Drive in South Atlantic League action Saturday at Bowling Green Ballpark.

Greenville (20-24) struck in the top of the first inning against Hot Rods starter Gary Gill Hill. Franklin Arias singled and swiped second, putting a runner in scoring position. Nelly Taylor walked and Antonio Anderson singled to load the bases. A passed ball allowed Arias to score and with runners on second and third, a wild pitch by Gill Hill plated Taylor. Miguel Bleis walked and stole second and Brooks Brannon slashed a single plating both runners, making it a 4-0 Drive lead.

The Drive added onto their lead in the top of the second, still facing Gill Hill. Arias singled and stole second, putting a runner in scoring position. Taylor slashed a single, scoring Arias to push the lead to 5-0.

Greenville added a pair of runs in the top of the third against Gill Hill. Anderson walked and Bleis socked a two-run home run, making it 7-0.

Bowling Green (23-21) plated a run in the bottom of the fifth against Drive reliever Max Carlson. Blake Robertson walked and advanced to second on a Carlos Colmenarez single. Adrian Santana grounded into a fielder’s choice at second, putting runners at the corners. Emilien Pitre singled, scoring Robertson from third to cut the Drive lead to 7-1.

The Drive scored another run in the top of the seventh against Hot Rods reliever Drew Dowd. Arias reached on a fielder’s choice and moved over on a Yophery Rodriguez single. Taylor roped a single, scoring Arias to push the lead to 8-1.

The Hot Rods rallied in the bottom of the seventh facing Drive reliever Zach Fogell. Robertson and Colmenarez were hit by pitches, putting runners on first and second. Santana crushed a three-run home run to left, cutting the Drive lead to four.

Greenville’s Adam Smith closed out the final 2 2/3 innings, finalizing the game, 8-4.

Carlson (2-1) picked up the victory after 1 2/3 innings of work, allowing three hits, one run, a walk and striking out three. Gill Hill (1-4) received the loss after tossing five innings, surrendering seven hits, seven runs, walking three and fanning seven. Smith earned the save after tossing the final 2 2/3 scoreless innings of work and striking out five.

Bowling Green and Greenville square off for the finale of a six-game series at 1:05 p.m. at Bowling Green Ballpark. Right-hander Hayden Snelsire (1-0, 2.13) gets the start for the Hot Rods, while the Drive send out righty Juan Valera (1-1, 5.40).