Bowling Green Hot Rods right fielder Ryan Spikes (16) bats in the Hot Rods’ 7-4 win over the IronBirds at the Bowling Green Ballpark on Thursday, July 31, 2025. GRACE MCDOWELL / BOWLING GREEN DAILY NEWS

The Bowling Green Hot Rods overcame an early 2-0 deficit in route to a 7-4 victory over the Winston-Salem Dash in South Atlantic League action Tuesday night at Bowling Green Ballpark.

Winston-Salem (39-62 overall, 14-22 second half) began the scoring in the first inning off Bowling Green starting pitcher Gary Gill Hill. Samuel Zavala smashed a solo home run to right, putting the Dash out in front, 1-0.

Winston-Salem extended its lead in the third inning off Gill Hill. Jacob Burke smashed a solo homer to left to double the Dash lead to 2-0.

The Hot Rods (55-46, 21-16) cut the deficit in half in the bottom of the third off Winston-Salem starter Frankeli Arias. Jhon Diaz drew a leadoff walk and moved to third on an Émilien Pitre single. Diaz scored on a Ryan Spikes sacrifice fly, trimming the deficit to 2-1.

The Hot Rods captured the lead with three runs in the bottom of the fifth off Dash reliever Luke Bell. Carlos Colmenarez led off the frame with a solo blast, leveling the score at 2-2. Pitre followed with an infield single and scored on a two-run homer from Spikes, giving Bowling Green a 4-2 advantage.

The Hot Rods added on in the sixth inning off reliever Carson Jacobs. Daniel Vellojin began the inning with a walk, moved to second on a free pass to Hunter Haas. Blake Robertson drove in Vellojin on a single, extending Bowling Green’s lead to 5-2. Diaz scored Haas on an RBI base hit, pushing the advantage to 6-2.

The Hot Rods tacked on one run in the seventh off reliever Madison Jeffrey. Spikes reached on a leadoff single, stole second and advanced to third on an error. Raudelis Martinez plated Spikes on a single, increasing the lead to 7-2.

Winston Salem responded with two runs in the ninth off reliever Noah Beal. Zavala drew a leadoff walk, and moved to third on a double from Jeral Perez. Alex Makarewicz plated Zavala on a sacrifice fly, cutting the deficit to 7-3. Jackson Appel doubled in Perez to make it 7-4, and that would be all the offense Winston-Salem could muster, resulting in a Bowling Green victory.

Gill Hill (5-6) earned the win, hurling seven innings of two-run ball, allowing four hits while striking out two batters and walking none. Bell (5-1) received the loss, allowing three runs on three hits across an inning.

The Hot Rods and Dash continue a six-game set on Wednesday at 6:35 p.m. Bowling Green right-hander Trevor Harrison (0-0) makes his High-A debut while facing off against Winston-Salem lefty Lucas Gordon (1-7, 4.09).