Sports Headlines

Hot Rods Homer Happy in 6-3 Victory in Dayton

Posted: 7:31 PM Jun 23, 2012
Reporter: Hank Fuerst - Hot Rods Media Relations

Dayton, OH – The Bowling Green Hot Rods (2-0, 40-32) slugged three home runs on their way to a 6-3 victory over the Dayton Dragons (0-2, 30-42) on Saturday night at Fifth Third Field. Matt Rice, Drew Vettleson, and Jeff Malm all homered to lead the Hot Rods to their fifth straight win. The victory also secures Bowling Green’s third road series win in the team’s last four attempts. Starter Parker Markel earned the win for the Hot Rods, his first since April 13.

Continuing a recent trend, the Hot Rods used the longball to take an early lead on Saturday night. Matt Rice began the top of the third with a long, solo home run to left-centerfield for his fourth homer of the 2012 season. Then in the top of the fourth, Drew Vettleson homered to right field to give the Hot Rods a 2-0 advantage.

The longball was Vettleson’s sixth of the season, contributing to a stretch where Hot Rods hitters have now hit 30 home runs in the last 27 games.
Jake Hager stayed red-hot at the plate, adding another run in the top of the fifth with a two-out RBI-single to left field to extend Bowling Green’s lead to 3-1. Hager’s single secured his second multi-hit night just two games into the second half of the season.

The Hot Rods then put it away when Jeff Malm hit a two-run home run to centerfield in the eighth inning. Malm’s seventh homer of the season gave the Hot Rods a 6-1 lead going to the bottom of the eighth.

Parker Markel was strong in his five frames to earn his second win of the season, allowing one run on three hits. In his last two starts, the Arizona native has allowed just one run on six hits in 11 innings. Before the win on Saturday night, Markel had made eight consecutive starts without receiving a win.