Hot Rods Take Down Captains, 4-3

EASTLAKE, OH - The Bowling Green Hot Rods hung on for a 4-3 win against the Lake County Captains thanks to a big second inning and great efforts from LHP Brendan McKay and RHP Riley O'Brien .
Bowling Green got out to a three-run lead in the top of the second inning when C Zac Law and DH Ronaldo Hernandez both reached, then advanced to second and third on a double steal. 1B Devin Davis and RF Eleardo Cabrera followed up with back to back RBI singles. Davis then scored on a balk top cap off the three run inning.
McKay got the start for the Hot Rods and was phenomenal, throwing four innings, while allowing only two hits and no runs. He also struck out a career high seven batters while only throwing seven balls the entire night.
The Hot Rods added on to their lead in the top of the fifth when 2B Vidal Brujan came around to score on a Law sac fly to center field to give them a 4-0 lead.
O'Brien picked up where McKay left off, throwing three inning only allowing two walks, and striking out three.
Grant Hockin got the start for the Captains and pitched a season long six innings, allowing seven hits, four runs but only two earned. He struck out three and walked one.
The Captains got on the board in the bottom of the eighth thanks to a two run home run off the that just barely cleared the right field fence. The Hot Rods escaped the frame only giving up the two runs with the score now at 4-2.
The Captains continued to fight in the ninth when Jose Vicente led off with a solo home run. Ulysses Cantu and Mike Rivera then singled and walked to put the winning run on base. They moved up to second and third on a groundout to short. That gave Rodriguez, who homered in the previous inning another chance at the plate. Rodriguez hit a ground ball down the third base line, 3B Zach Rutherford charged in and made the long throw across the diamond just in time to retire Rodriguez and win the game.
O'Brien picked up his first win on the season in relief. The Captains starter Hockin took the loss, falling to 1-2. The Hot Rods improve to 8-8 on the season and Lake County falls to 6-8.
The Hot Rods will look to sweep the Captains tomorrow afternoon at 12:30pm Central time. RHP Alex Valverde (1-0 0.90) will get the start for the Hot Rods, while the Captains will go with RHP Eli Morgan (0-0, 1.20).
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