Ott, Homers Lead Hot Rods to Shutout Win

Bowling Green, KY - In the opener of a three-game set and the second series of a week at home at Bowling Green Ballpark, the Bowling Green Hot Rods broke out for ten runs for the second straight game and the pitching staff tossed their fifth shutout of the season in a 10-0 win against the Cedar Rapids Kernels on Thursday night.

A day after the Hot Rods won their series finale against the Quad Cities River Bandits by a score of 10-2, they got another big lift from starting pitcher Travis Ott (W, 3-2). The 21-year-old left tossed seven scoreless frames, giving up just four hits. It was the longest start of his career and second straight start giving up 0 earned runs. Ott has not given up an earned run in his last 13 innings pitched.
With the start from Ott, the Hot Rods have now gotten eleven straight starts of three or fewer runs.
The victory was secured for Ott by as righty Reimin Ramos , as he blanked the Kernels offense through the final two innings to put finishing touches on the shutout.
The shutout for the Hot Rods pitching staff was their second of this homestand and third in 10 games during the month of May.
Offensively, the Hot Rods broke out for their second 10-run game in as many days starting in the fourth inning.
With starter Sean Poppin cruising through his first three frames, Hot Rods designated hitter Rene Pinto started the surge with a RBI single to put the Hot Rods on the board. Later in the frame, Pinto scored on a wild pitch to make the score 2-0.
In the fifth inning, the Hot Rods doubled their run output on one swing of the bat. With Mike Brosseau on first after leading off the frame with a walk, first basemen Nathaniel Lowe launched a ball over the right-field fence to make the score 4-0.
For Lowe, the homer was his second of the year. It also highlighted his third straight multi-hit game. Overall, Lowe now has an eight-game hitting streak, the longest for any Hot Rods player this year.
Following a sacrifice fly by shortstop Lucius Fox in the sixth inning, the Hot Rods scored their final five runs in the seventh inning. Bowling Green got their first run on a RBI fielders choice from Pinto and the rest on a grandslam home run from catcher Jonah Heim.
For Heim, the grandslam was the first of his career and his 4 RBI were a career-high.
It was also the first grandslam for a Hot Rods hitter since Brett Sullivan on May 22, 2016 at Dayton.
With the victory, Bowling Green has now won five of their last seven games and owns a .500 (16-16) record for the first time in two weeks.
The Hot Rods will continue their stretch at home with the second of three games against the Cedar Rapids Kernels in Southcentral Kentucky on Friday. Bowling Green will send RHP Peter Bayer to the mound while the Kernels will counter with lefty Domenick Carlini.
First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m central time at Bowling Green Ballpark.
You can also listen in to Play-by-Play Broadcaster Alex Cohen for all the games on www.williecountry.com (Click on BG Listen Live) or on AM 1340 and 97.1 Willie in Southcentral Kentucky.
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