Smith Extends On-Base Streak to 16 Games in 11-3 Loss

Peoria, IL- Michael Smith extended his on-base streak to 16 games as the Bowling Green Hot Rods took an 11-3 loss to the Peoria Chiefs on Saturday night in the series finale at Dozer Park in Peoria, IL. The Hot Rods fall to 17-13 and will begin a nine-game home stand on Monday as they welcome in the Burlington Bees for the first of three games with a 6:35 PM CDT first pitch at Bowling Green Ballpark.

The Chiefs took an early lead against Bowling Green opener Steffon Moore. After two hit batsmen and two walks, Brady Whalen earned the third free pass of the inning to force home a run and make it a 1-0 game. In the next at-bat, Leandro Cedeno hit a grand slam to make it a 5-0 game. Moore was replaced by Alan Strong out of the bullpen, who allowed a walk but got three outs while minimizing the damage.
The Hot Rods responded with a run in the third against Chiefs starter Jacob Schlesener. Chris Betts led off the inning with a walk and went to second when Connor Hollis did the same. A wild pitch moved both up a station while Roberto Alvarez filled in at first with a walk of his own to load the bases. Beau Brundage stepped up to the plate with two outs and was hit in the back of the helmet, forcing another run home to make it a 5-1 game.
The Hot Rods were held scoreless until the top of the sixth against Franyel Casadilla for Peoria. Osmy Gregorio doubled to left-center and Brundage walked to put runners at first and second. Smith doubled to right, scoring Gregorio to make it a 5-2 game while Brundage went to third. Brundage scored when Ford Proctor grounded out to second, cutting the Chiefs to two runs at 5-3.
Bowling Green was shut out the rest of the night, but Peoria added six more runs to their score including a four-run eighth inning.
Moore (0-1) took the loss without recording an out, allowing five runs on two walks with a hit. Alan Strong took over in the first, lasting seven innings while allowing two runs on six hits with two walks and six strikeouts. Miguel Lara threw the eighth inning, with the Chiefs plating four runs on a hit with a walk and two strikeouts.
Notes: Smith has a 16-game on-base streak… He also extended his hit streak to 5 games… The team took 10 walks, the second-most this season and one behind the season-high… All nine Hot Rods reached base in Sunday's game… Proctor, Pena, and Brundage all had two walks… The last time a Hot Rods opponent scored 10 or more runs in a game was April 9 in the second game of a double header when Lake County defeated the Hot Rods 13-4… Bowling Green finished the road trip with a 3-3 record… They're 5-7 in games decided by four or more runs… They're 3-7 against left-handed starters… The Hot Rods lost their second series of the season… They're 6-2-1 in series this season… It was also the club's first loss in the rubber game of a three-game series… They're 4-1 in those games… Moore and Lara had two hit batsmen… That's the most for a Hot Rods pitcher in a single game this season… The five total hit batsmen by BG pitching is the most in a game this season… BG had five wild pitches in the game… That's a new season-high… Bowling Green returns home on Monday to begin a three-game series with the Burlington Bees with a 6:35 PM first pitch… It's Merchandise Monday at Bowling Green Ballpark… Fans can take advantage of different specialty discounts in The Body Shop… The Hot Rods will send RH Easton McGee (2-0, 3.27) to the mound against Bees RH John Swanda (0-0, 0.00)… 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