Askew Punches Out Four, Bowling Green Shutout 3-0

Rome, Georgia – Keyshawn Askew struck out four over 4.1 innings of work, but the Bowling Green Hot Rods (9-13) offense failed to create momentum in a 3-0 shutout loss to the Rome Braves (11-12) on Thursday night at Advent Health Stadium.

Rome started the scoring in the bottom of the third off Bowling Green starter Keyshawn Askew. Stephen Paolini led off with a triple to right. In the next at-bat, he scored on an RBI triple off the bat of Kevin Kilpatrick to put the Braves up 1-0.

In the bottom of the fifth, Kadon Morton singled and Paolini worked a walk to put runners on first and second. Drake Baldwin singled to score Morton and increase the lead 2-0. Ignacio Alvarez walked to load the bases and Paolini scored from third on a wild pitch from Hot Rods reliever Austin Vernon to make it 3-0. Jeffry Parra singled in the ninth, but that was all the Hot Rods offense could muster, going on to lose 3-0.

Hunter Riggins (1-0) earned the win, striking out four and letting up four hits on 4.1 scoreless innings. Askew (1-3) picked up the loss, tossing 4.1 innings while allowing three runs on four hits, three walks, and four strikeouts.

The Hot Rods and the Braves play game four of a six-game series on Thursday with first pitch set for 6:00 PM CT. Bowling Green is set to start LHP Patrick Wicklander (0-1, 4.15), while the Braves send out RHP Rolddy Munoz (2-1, 3.38) to the mound.