Bowling Green Hot Rods pitcher Gary Gill Hill (17) pitches to Hub City Spartanburgers first baseman Arturo Disla (23) in the Hot Rods 3-1 loss to the Spartanburgers at the Bowling Green Ballpark on Thursday, June 19, 2025. GRACE MCDOWELL / BOWLING GREEN DAILY NEWS

Gary Gill Hill spun his fourth quality start in five outings as the Bowling Green Hot Rods fell to the Greenville Drive 4-3 Friday in South Atlantic League action at Bowling Green Ballpark.

Bowling Green (45-41 overall, 11-11 second half) struck first in the bottom of the first inning facing Drive starter Brandon Clarke. Adrian Santana walked, and three wild pitches scored him from first base, pushing the Hot Rods out in front, 1-0.

Greenville (43-43, 10-10) responded in the top of the third with Gill Hill on the mound. Freili Encarnacion doubled and Justin Riemer walked, putting runners on first and second. Encarnacion advanced to third on a double play and scored on a single from Franklin Arias, knotting the game at 1-1.

The Hot Rods regained the lead in the bottom of the third still facing Clarke. Santana singled and stole second, putting a runner in scoring position. Santana stole third and scored on an errant throw from catcher Johanfran Garcia, allowing Bowling Green to regain the lead, 2-1.

Bowling Green extended its lead in the bottom of the fifth with Michael Sansone on the hill. Noah Myers launched a solo home run to right, making it a 3-1 Hot Rods lead.

The Drive tied things up with a two-run top of the seventh against reliever Chris Villaman. Garcia singled and Yophery Rodriguez doubled, putting runners on second and third. Encarnacion singled to score Garcia from third. Encarnacion stole third, and a throwing error from Daniel Vellojin scored another run to tie the game, 3-3.

Greenville took the lead in the top of the ninth against Hot Rods reliever Alexander Alberto. Rodriguez slammed a solo home run to right, pushing the Drive in front, 4-3.

Drive reliever Isaac Stebens finished off a scoreless ninth, finalizing the contest, 4-3.

Stebens (3-0) earned the victory after pitching two scoreless innings, allowing one hit and striking out one batter. Alberto (0-2) is handed the loss after tossing an inning, surrendering one run in the bottom of the ninth, on two hits with one strikeout.

Bowling Green and Greenville will play game two of a three-game series on Saturday starting at 6:35 p.m. RHP TJ Nichols (8-3, 3.84) starts for Bowling Green while the Drive send out righty Blake Aita (2-1, 1.88).