Seven-run Inning Lifts Hot Rods to Third Straight Win

Bowling Green, KY- The Bowling Green Hot Rods offense exploded in the fifth inning of Friday's 9-6 victory over the Great Lakes Loons, scoring seven runs on five hits at Dow Diamond in Midland, MI. The Hot Rods improve to 9-7 and will play the series finale on Saturday afternoon with a 1:05 PM CDT first pitch.  

The Hot Rods took the lead in the fourth inning, scoring a pair of runs to chase Loons starter Jeronimo Castro from the game. Chris Betts singled to left and went to third when Grant Witherspoon doubled. Betts scored when Roberto Alvarez singled, moving Witherspoon to third in a 1-0 game. Tony Pena laid down a sacrifice bunt, scoring Witherspoon to give the Hot Rods a 2-0 advantage.
Bowling Green added to the lead in the fifth against Great Lakes reliever Alfredo Tavarez. Osmy Gregorio walked and scored when Connor Hollis tripled to right, making it a 3-0 game. Betts walked and stole second and Witherspoon walked to load the bases. Kaleo Johnson singled to center, scoring Hollis while keeping the bases loaded and chasing Tavarez from the game. With Jasiel Alvino on the mound, Alvarez singled to right, scoring Betts to give Bowling Green a 5-0 advantage.
As the fifth continued, Jake Palomaki extended the Hot Rods lead. Palomaki singled to center, driving in Witherspoon and giving the Hot Rods a 6-0 lead, while Ford Proctor followed with a double to right that plated both Johnson and Alvarez to give Bowling Green a massive 8-0 edge. The inning was capped off by Alvino throwing a wild pitch, scoring Proctor from third to make it 9-0.
Hot Rods starter Caleb Sampen was chased from the game in the bottom of the fifth after recording two outs. The Loons plated six runs in the frame, but Steffon Moore was able to stop the rally by striking out Dan Robinson to end the inning. Neither team scored the rest of the game, with the Hot Rods taking their third straight in the 9-6 victory.
Sampen ended up with a no-decision, tossing 4.2 innings while allowing six runs on seven hits with six walks and two strikeouts. Moore secured one out in the game, allowing two walks and a hit with a strikeout. Easton McGee (2-0) earned the win, throwing one scoreless inning while allowing one hit with three strikeouts. Chris Muller finished the game by throwing three spotless innings with seven strikeouts.
Notes: Bowling Green's seven runs in the fifth are the most scored in any inning this season… The same goes for their five hits in that inning… The Hot Rods won their third straight game, the longest win streak of the season… It's also the team's third-straight series win… Friday was the first time this season they had and equal number of hits with their opponents… The team improves to 5-1 when they score first… Seven players had hits in Friday's game and eight reached base… Betts, Witherspoon, and Palomaki have three-game hit streaks… Hollis and Johnson each have five-game hit streaks… Proctor extended his hit streak to four games… Witherspoon had his fifth multi-hit game of the year… Alvarez had his third multi-hit game and second multi-RBI effort… Proctor had his first multi-RBI game of the season… The Hot Rods conclude their series with Great Lakes on Saturday beginning with a 1:05 PM CDT first pitch… The Hot Rods will send LHP Shane McClanahan (1-1, 3.48) to the mound while the Loons have yet to name a starter… Fans can catch all the action with Shawn Murnin on Willie 107.9 FM, as well as, with their smart phones via the MiLB First Pitch app and TuneIn Radio app.
###
Hot Rods Baseball