Mac Horvath hit his team-leading eighth homer of the year, but it wasn’t enough for the Bowling Green Hot Rods in a 5-3 loss to the Winston-Salem Dash in South Atlantic League action on Sunday at Truist Stadium in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

For the sixth consecutive game of the series, Bowling Green (18-15) scored the first runs of the game, this time in the top of the third inning against MLB rehabber Jesse Scholtens. Bryan Broecker led off with a single, advanced to second on a wild pitch, and moved to third on a ground ball from Adrian Santana. Aidan Smith plated him with another groundout, giving the Hot Rods a 1-0 lead.

Winston-Salem (12-21) took the lead in the bottom of the third inning against Bowling Green starter Gary Gill Hill. Jeral Perez and Braden Montgomery walked to start the inning, and Cole McConnell singled, loading the bases. Alec Makarewicz reached on fielder’s choice and Montgomery scored on a wild pitch. McConnell and Makarewicz scored on a Luis Pineda base hit, making it a 3-1 Dash lead.

Winston-Salem added another run in the bottom of the fourth on a Montgomery RBI double, bringing the lead to 4-1.

The Hot Rods responded in the top of the sixth against Dash reliever Tommy Vail. With one out, Emilien Pitre doubled and Horvath blasted a two-run homer to left, making it a 4-3 Winston-Salem lead.

The Dash plated an additional run in the bottom of the seventh with Hot Rods reliever Junior William on the mound. Arxy Hernandez hit a one-out, solo homer, extending Winston-Salem’s lead to 5-3.

Bowling Green couldn’t find any offense the rest of the way, losing 5-3.

Vail (2-0) picked up his second win of the year, going five innings, allowing two runs on three hits, walking one and striking out eight. Gill Hill (1-2) surrendered three runs on five hits while walking three and striking out five in his second loss of the season.

The Hot Rods enjoy an off-day Monday before starting a six-game set against the Asheville Tourists at Bowling Green Ballpark on Tuesday with first pitch at 6:05 p.m.