Hot Rods High Jinks Handle Loons

BOWLING GREEN, KY. - The Bowling Green Hot Rods scored multiple runs in three different innings on Friday night en route to a 12-3 series-opening victory over the Great Lakes Loons at Bowling Green Ballpark. 
With the loss, the Loons (8-8, 44-41) hand the Hot Rods (9-7, 40-43) their sixth straight win - a season high. 
Bowling Green scored three runs in the 3rd and 4th innings and four runs in the 6th inning. Offensively, 19-year-old Midwest League Home Run Derby participant, Jesús Sánchez, carried the show for the Hot Rods. The Dominican outfielder finished with three hits, four RBI, and two runs scored. In total, seven of the nine Bowling Green batters reached base at least two times.
On the hill, a piggyback tandem held the Loons offense at bay for a majority of the night. Righty Bowling Green starter Angel Yepez was making his first start in nearly 15 months and racked up six strikeouts in the first two innings. Yepez logged 3 2/3 innings ceding one run on five hits and a walk.
Ultimately, it was left-hander Kenny Rosenberg (W, 3-6) who sealed the deal. The Mill Valley, California native finished the final 5 1/3 innings allowing just one earned run (two total) while striking out eight and walking none.
The Loons scored first in the game in the 2nd inning on an RBI-double by 20-year-old Cristian Santana. It was the first of three hits in the game for the Dominican infielder. With three more hits, Santana now has a hit in each of his first seven games as a Loon and is 35-for-68 in 17 games this year between his time in Ogden and Great Lakes.
Shortstop Oneil Cruz was the only other Loon with a multi-hit night. The 6-foot-6 lefty doubled in the 2nd inning, then homered off the highest point of the video board located beyond the left-center field wall at Bowling Green Ballpark.
Righty Imani Abdullah (L, 0-1) made just his fourth start of the season, but while still on a pitch count, was unable to make it through the 3rd inning after allowing four earned runs.
The Loons and Hot Rods are back in action on Saturday with a 7:35 p.m. EDT first pitch.
The Great Lakes Loons are the 2016 Midwest League Champions and have been a Single-A partner of the Los Angeles Dodgers since 2007. Dow Diamond, home of the Loons, also houses ESPN 100.9-FM and the Michigan Baseball Foundation. For tickets and more information about the Loons, call 989-837-BALL or visit Loons.com.