Emperors deal fifth straight loss to Hot Rods
Published 4:10 pm Sunday, August 17, 2025
Bowling Green Hot Rods first baseman Raudelis Martinez (2) bats in the Hot Rods’ 6-4 loss to the Dash at the Bowling Green Ballpark on Thursday, Aug. 7, 2025.
GRACE MCDOWELL / BOWLING GREEN DAILY NEWS
The Bowling Green Hot Rods dropped a fifth consecutive game, losing 7-4 to the Rome Emperors in South Atlantic League action Sunday at AdventHealth Stadium in Rome, Georgia.
For the first time in the series, Bowling Green (58-54 overall, 24-24 second half) brought in the first runs of the game, scoring three runs against Rome starting pitcher Cedric De Grandpre in the top of the second inning. With one out, Bryan Broecker doubled and John Diaz walked. One out later, Emilien Pitre singled home Broecker to make it 1-0 for the Hot Rods. Pitre stole second and Raudelis Martinez brought both runners home on a base hit, expanding the lead to 3-0.
The Hot Rods added on in the bottom of the third against Emperors reliever Rob Griswold. Hunter Hass singled and stole second, and Carlos Colmenarez plated him with a base hit to make it a 4-0 game.
Rome (50-63, 20-27) scored its first runs in the bottom of the third against Bowling Green starter Santiago Suarez. With two outs, Colby Jones and Alex Lodise logged back-to-back hits, putting runners at second and third. Isaiah Drake singled in the first runner and a Jhon Diaz error brought in the second runner, making it a 4-2 game.
The Emperors tied up the game with runs in the fourth and fifth innings against the Hot Rods bullpen. In the bottom of the fourth, Cooper McMurray and Tanner smith worked consecutive walks. Ambioris Tavarez singled home McMurray, bringing the score to 4-3.
Rome tied the game in the bottom of the fifth, scoring on another error from Diaz and an RBI single from Logan Brauncshweig, evening the score at 4-4.
Another run came in to score for the Emperors in the bottom of the sixth against Hot Rods reliever Seth Chavez. Smith roped a one-out double, and Jones singled to left, scoring Smith and putting the Emperors in the lead, 5-4.
Rome plated two more runs in the bottom of the eighth inning on a two-run single from Isaiah Drake, pushing their lead to 7-4.
Isaac Gallegos pitched a perfect ninth for the Emperors, ending the series with a 7-4 Hot Rods loss.
The Emperors’ Jacob Gomez (1-2) picked up the win, hurling two perfect innings of relief, striking out four in the process. Chavez (1-2) was given the loss, going two innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on three hits while striking out two. Gallegos earned the save, pitching a perfect inning.
The Hot Rods enjoy an off day on Monday before starting a series with the Greensboro Grasshoppers on Tuesday with a 6:35 p.m. first pitch at Bowling Green Ballpark.
