The Bowling Green Hot Rods dropped the first game of the series against the Rome Braves by a 6-5 score on Tuesday night at State Mutual Stadium in Rome, Ga.

They take on the Braves again in the second game of six, with a 6 p.m. CT first pitch on Wednesday.

The Hot Rods (9-4) got onto the scoreboard first in the second inning. Jonathan Aranda walked, and Niko Hulsizer doubled him in off Braves starter Tanner Lawson, giving Bowling Green a 1-0 edge.

Rome battled back in the bottom of the third inning. Garrison Schwartz led off with a single and was brought in by a Michael Harris single off Hot Rods starter Jacob Lopez. Bryce Ball singled to move Harris to third and Logan Brown knocked him in with a sacrifice fly, giving Rome a 2-1 lead.

The Braves didn’t wait long before scoring again, bringing another run across in the bottom of the fourth. Beau Phillip led off with a single and moved up to third on a throwing error by Hot Rods catcher Blake Hunt on a pickoff attempt at first base. After a pitching change, Cody Milligan singled him home off Zack Trageton, taking a 3-1 lead.

Andrew Moritz helped add to the Braves lead in the bottom of the sixth, leading off with a double. Milligan singled him in, collecting his second RBI of the night and bringing Rome’s lead to 4-1.

Bowling Green tied the game in the top of the seventh after Braves reliever Davis Schwab hit Pedro Martinez and walked Greg Jones before being pulled. Hunt hit a two-run double off the Braves new pitcher, Marrick Crouse. After two more back-to-back walks, Jonathan Aranda hit a sacrifice fly to left field, scoring Hunt and tying the game at 4-all.

Rome immediately took the lead back after Harris reached on a fielder’s choice and Ball hit a two-run home run. The Braves took a 6-4 lead into the top of the eighth, where Bowling Green loaded the bases. Grant Witherspoon led off the with a single, Tanner Dodson singled and Martinez walked to load the bases for Jones. He hit a sacrifice fly to score Witherspoon and bring the Hot Rods within run at 6-5.

The Hot Rods failed to score in the top of the ninth, with Rome taking a 6-5 victory in the first game of the series. 

Lopez made his second start of the season and had a no-decision after pitching 3 1/3 innings, giving up two earned runs on seven hits and striking out five. Trageton (0-1) picked up his first loss of the season, tossing 3 2/3 innings and giving up three earned runs on four hits while striking out three. Cristofer Ogando pitched an inning, giving up one hit and striking out one.

On Wednesday, Bowling Green will send right-hander Jayden Murray (0-0, 0.00) to the mound against Braves righty Ricky DeVito (0-1, 2.00).