Hot Rods Open Second Half with 10-4 Win
Lansing, Mich. - A refreshed group took the field for the Bowling Green Hot Rods (Class-A/Tampa Bay Rays) for the first game of the second half, and the Hot Rods dominated the Lansing Lugnuts (Toronto Blue Jays) on the road to open to open the half with a 10-4 victory. Oscar Hernandez produced a four-hit effort while also driving in four runs.
The Hot Rods offense collected 22 hits on Sunday afternoon, and they wasted no time in scoring in the second half. Four runs crossed in the top of the third to send Bowling Green to a lead they wouldn't relinquish. With one out, Spencer Edwards started the rally with a single. Juniel Querecuto and Johnny Field followed with singles of their own to load the bases. Ty Young was hit by a pitch to drive home Edwards and keep the bases loaded. Hernandez capped the inning with a double down the left-field line that cleared the bases and stretched the Hot Rods lead to 4-0.
Two runs crossed for Lansing in the fourth, but not to be out-done, Bowling Green put up five runs in the fifth. Granden Goetzman started it off with a towering home run to left field on the very first pitch of the inning. After Hernandez reached on an error and walks to Pat Blair and Yoel Araujo, Edwards doubled down the right-field line to drive home both Hernandez and Blair. Querecuto then smashed a single through the right side to score Araujo and Edwards, which extended the Bowling Green advantage to 9-2.
After the Lugnuts scored two runs in the bottom of the fifth, Bowling Green scored the final run of the contest in the top of the sixth. Field led off the frame with a double to the left-center field gap, and would score when Hernandez singled to left field. The run gave the game its final margin of 10-4 in favor of the Hot Rods.
Hernandez finished the night with four hits, which ties a season-high for any Hot Rod. It's also the third time Hernandez has achieved the feat. Four Hot Rods produced multi-hit games. Bowling Green has now tallied 37 hits in just their past two games, the largest such two-game stretch in franchise history.
Jorge Rodriguez (2-3) picked up the win out of the bullpen for the Hot Rods. Luis Cabrera was also effective in his return to the Bowling Green bullpen, as he tossed the final two and two-thirds innings without allowing a run.
Matt Dermody (3-4) was chased in the fifth for Lansing and he earned the loss after conceding seven runs.
Bowling Green will attempt a 2-0 start to the second half on Friday night in game two of a four-game set against Lansing. First pitch is scheduled for 6:05 p.m. CT, and fans can follow the action beginning at 5:50 p.m. CT on 1340 WBGN - The Ticket. Baseball will return to Bowling Green Ballpark on Tuesday, June 24, when the Hot Rods host Lake County (Cleveland Indians). For tickets and more information, fans can visit BGHotRods.com or call 270-901-2121.
###
Hot Rods Baseball - It's Just #Funner