Bowling Green Hot Rods outfielder Aidan Smith (23) bats during the Hot Rods 6-2 loss to Asheville on Sunday, May18, 2025 at Bowling Green Ballpark in Bowling Green, Ky. (Caleb Lowndes / Bowling Green Daily News)

Aidan Smith showcased his power, homering twice, but the Bowling Green Hot Rods couldn’t hold off the Greensboro Grasshoppers in a 10-7 loss on Friday in South Atlantic League action at First National Bank Field in Greensboro, North Carolina.

Bowling Green (45-38 overall, 11-8 second half) plated the first runs of the game in the top of the third inning against Greensboro starting pitcher Connor Wietgrefe. Jhon Diaz hit a one-out single and Smith homered, making it 2-0 Bowling Green.

The Grasshoppers (58-26, 13-6) responded in the bottom of the third inning against Hot Rods starter Marcus Johnson. Geovanny Planchart collected a two-out single, and Will Taylor smashed a two-run homer to left, tying the game at 2-2.

Another run came around to score for the Grasshoppers against Johnson in the bottom of the fourth. P.J. Hilson smoked a solo homer to left, giving the Grasshoppers a 3-2 lead.

The Hot Rods tied the game in the top of the fifth inning with Wietgrefe still on the mound. With one out, Bryan Broecker doubled and Aidan Smith singled to score another run, tying the game at 3-3.

Greensboro jumped back in front in the bottom of the fifth inning against Johnson. Planchart singled with two outs and Taylor went deep again, giving Greensboro a 5-3 lead.

The offense kept rolling for Greensboro in the bottom of the sixth against Johnson. Keiner Delgado led off with a single and Javier Rivas homered, making it a 7-3 game. Hilson followed with his second long ball of the game, increasing the lead to 8-3. Jesus Castillo and Shalin Polanco hit back-to-back singles, and on a double steal, stole second and third base. A sacrifice fly from Derek Berg and an RBI groundout from Planchart made it a 10-3 Greensboro lead.

Bowling Green fought back in the top of the seventh against Greensboro reliever Jack Carey. Blake Robertson led off with a walk, and one out later, Broecker singled. Smith launched his second home run of the night, a three-run blast, cutting the lead to 10-6.

The Hot Rods plated one final run in the top of the eighth on a Daniel Vellojin sacrifice fly, but that was all the offense they could muster, ending in a 10-7 loss.

Wietgrefe (4-2) picked up the win, going six innings, allowing three runs on four hits while walking one and striking out seven batters. Johnson (5-6) was given the loss, surrendering 10 runs on 11 hits, walking none and striking out six.

The Hot Rods and Grasshoppers will play the penultimate game of a six-game series on Saturday with a 5:30 p.m. CT first pitch at First National Bank Field. Bowling Green will send out right-hander Garrett Edwards (5-3, 2.87) against Greensboro righty Carlson Reed (0-2, 5.57).