Dayton, OH – Cody Rogers belted a three-run home run in Dayton on Thursday night, powering the Hot Rods to a 6-3 win over the Dragons. The victory is the Hot Rods seventh straight in Dayton and gives them a series victory with a chance for a sweep heading into Friday night’s finale.

The Hot Rods took an early lead in the third inning thanks to some wildness by Dayton starter Tim Crabbe. Bennett Davis walked to begin the inning, moving to second base when Ty Morrison laid down a sacrifice bunt. After a foul out by Cody Rogers, Crabbe loaded the bases by hitting Kyle Spraker and then walking Tyler Bortnick. His wildness continued when he hit Ryan Wiegand with the bases loaded to force in the first run of the game for a 1-0 Hot Rods lead.

An inning later, Bowling Green added to its lead with a little more thump. Gabe Cohen was hit by a pitch before Bennett Davis delivered a one-out single to put runners at first and second. After Ty Morrison struck out, Rogers stepped up and drove a line drive over the right field wall for a three-run homer to extend the Hot Rods lead to 4-0.

Dayton came right back in the bottom of the fourth against Hot Rods starter Albert Suarez. Ryan LaMarre began the inning with a single, followed by a two-run home run from Henry Rodriguez to cut the lead to 4-2. Suarez would give up another single and a walk before leaving the game with one out in the inning. He gave way to Tyree Hayes, who entered the contest with runners at first and third. The right-handed reliever allowed one inherited runner to score on a botched double play before getting out of the inning with a 4-3 lead.

Suarez lasted 3.1 innings in his longest and most productive outing for the Hot Rods. He threw three shutout frames before being charged with all three fourth-inning runs. He gave up four hits, walked only one, and struck out a season-high three Dragons.

The Hot Rods picked up some insurance in the top of the sixth inning. Bennett Davis pulled the inning’s first pitch off the left field foul pole for a solo home run, his third long ball of 2010 to give the Hot Rods a 5-3 lead.

In the bottom of the sixth, Wilking Rodriguez entered the game for the Hot Rods, pitching for the first time since July 7 because of a sore shoulder. The Venezuelan looked sharp, throwing two scoreless innings with one hit and three strikeouts.

He turned it over to Alex Koronis for the eighth and ninth innings. Koronis did his part, throwing up zeros in each frame for his fourth save of the season.

The Hot Rods got offensive production from all parts of the line-up. Bortnick finished with a pair of hits, including a ninth-inning RBI single that gave the Hot Rods their 6-3 lead. Cohen reached base four times with three hits while Davis was on base three times with two hits and a walk.

The Hot Rods now go for the sweep on Friday night as RHP Jason McEachern (4-9, 5.36) goes to the mound against Dayton RHP Blair Carson (3-4, 3.60). First pitch is at 6:07 PM CDT.