Starting pitcher Owen Wild tossed his sixth quality start of the season, but the Bowling Green Hot Rods coughed up a late lead to the Hickory Crawdads in a 5-4 loss on Sunday at L.P. Frans Stadium in Hickory, North Carolina.

The Hot Rods (69-48 overall, 33-18 second half) scored three runs in the top of the third inning against Crawdads starter David Davalillo. Gregory Barrios singled and came around to score on a double from Colton Ledbetter. Mac Horvath pummeled a two-run homer to left, putting Bowling Green up 3-0.

Hickory (55-65, 28-26) responded with a run in the bottom of the sixth against Wild, but Bowling Green got it back in the top of the seventh. With Crawdads reliever Angel Rodriguez on the mound, Hunter Haas walked and stole second to put a runner in scoring position. Ledbetter doubled to left, scoring Haas to make it 4-1.

Yeison Morrobel launched a grand slam in the bottom of the eighth against Bowling Green reliever Dylan Lesko, moving the score to 5-4. The Hot Rods went scoreless in the ninth to finalize the game, 5-4.

Jacob Maton (3-5) earned the win, tossing a perfect eighth inning. Lesko (1-2) took the loss, allowing four runs on a hit, three walks and a strikeout over an inning. Hickory’s Bryan Magdaleno notched the save, striking out two in a perfect ninth.

Bowling Green takes the day off on Monday before returning to Bowling Green Ballpark to begin a six-game series with the Greenville Drive. First pitch is set for Tuesday at 6:35 p.m.