Bowling Green Blanks Loons to Win Series

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. - Left-hander Josh Fleming and his teammates in the Bowling Green bullpen kept the Loons silent on Thursday night in a 5-0 series-clinching win at Bowling Green Ballpark.
 
It's the fourth time this season the Loons have been shutout. The team's record of 14-31 is the worst start in franchise history. Bowling Green wins three-of-four at home against the Loons and trails Lansing by a half-game for the Midwest League Eastern Division lead.
Bowling Green's starters dominated the Loons throughout the series. Fleming pocketed the win Thursday with six scoreless innings and four hits allowed. He struck out six alongside zero walks. The starting rotation for the Hot Rods logged a total of 25 innings in the series with four walks and 25 strikeouts. The Loons' starters pitched 12 innings with nine walks and eight strikeouts.
After a scoreless three innings, the first four batters of the Bowling Green fourth reached to make the score 1-0. Chris Betts tallied his first base hit in four games with the Hot Rods to make the score 1-0. The second-round pick in 2015 followed up with the first home run of his Single-A career later in the sixth off righty Joel Inoa to make the score 4-0.
Ray's catching prospect Ronaldo Hernandez took Connor Strain deep in the eighth on a solo shot for the final salvo of the night. Hernandez homered in the final two games of the series.
The Loons are two-thirds of the way through their longest road trip of the season. It continues on Friday in Eastlake, Ohio against the Lake County Captains (Indians). It's the first meeting of the season between the two teams. First pitch is at 6:30 p.m. EDT.
The Great Lakes Loons have been the Single-A partner of the Los Angeles Dodgers since the team's inception in 2007. Dow Diamond serves as the team's home and also houses the Michigan Baseball Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit public charity, and ESPN 100.9-FM. For tickets or information about the Loons, call 989-837-BALL or visit Loons.com.