Bowling Green rolls by Wisconsin with 8-2 win
GRAND CHUTE, WI - The Bowling Green Hot Rods defeated the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers 8-2 on Thursday night at Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium. Oscar Hernandez and Juniel Querecuto each drove in four runs for the Hot Rods, who outhit the Timber Rattlers 15-5 in the game.
Hernandez put Bowling Green (43-52 overall, 11-15 second half) up 2-0 in the top of the first inning. Kean Wang singled with one out. Hernandez hit a 3-2 pitch from Wisconsin starter Preston Gainey over the wall in left for a two-run home run.
The Hot Rods added to their lead in the top of the fifth inning. Alexander Simon doubled to start the inning. Querecuto singled with one out to drive in Simon for a 3-0 lead. Querrecuto went to second on the throw to the plate. A bunt single by Kean Wong put runners on the corners. Gainey jammed Hernandez and got him to send a slow roller to short. Wisconsin got the force at second, but Hernandez just beat the throw to first to allow Querecuto to score the fourth run of the game.
Bowling Green starter Chris Kirsch tossed five shutout innings, allowed three hits, and struck out four.
Wisconsin (50-45, 14-12) got on the scoreboard in the sixth inning against reliever Isaac Gill. Chris McFarland singled and stole second to start the inning. Clint Coulter crushed a 2-0 pitch from Gill into the Bowling Green bullpen for a two-run homer. The homer was the sixteenth of the season for Coulter, who has homered in three straight games, and cut the Bowling Green's lead to 4-2.
The Hot Rods pulled away in the top of the eighth inning against Wisconsin reliever Harvey Martin. Spencer Edwards and Julian Ridings singled to start the inning. Simon had a sacrifice bunt and Sean Smedley drew a walk to load the bases. Querecuto unloaded the bases with a triple to the gap in right-center to score all three runners for a 7-2 advantage. Oscar Hernandez singled with two outs to knock in his fourth run of the game and Bowling Green was up 8-2.
Wisconsin's offense went down in order in the eighth and ninth innings.
The loss ended Wisconsin's four game winning streak. The win was the first of the season for the Hot Rods against a Western Division team. They had been 0-12 before Thursday night.
The final game of the series is Friday night. Victor Diaz (3-3, 3.50) is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Timber Rattlers. German Marquez (2-5, 2.99) is the scheduled starter for Bowling Green. Game time is 7:05pm.
The first 1,000 fans to attend the game will receive a poster of Timber Rattlers All-Star pitcher Barrett Astin courtesy of Dunkin Donuts. This is poster number seven in a series of ten that are being given away this season.
The Community Blood Center will be on hand to let you know how you can step up to the plate and donate!
All children 12 and under receive a free hot dog and soda as part of North Shore Bank/Y100 Family night. There will be a postgame fireworks display. Then, kids 14 and under may participate in Kids Run the Bases thanks to Molina Healthcare after the fireworks. Plus, Potawatomi Bingo Casino presents Baseball Bingo, a chance to win prizes by playing a baseball-themed bingo game.
If you can't make it out to the ballpark, tune in for the broadcast on AM1280, WNAM or IHeartRadio starting with the Miller Lite Pregame Show at 6:45pm. Friday's game is also available to subscriberts of MiLB.TV.
HOME RUNS:
BG:
Oscar Hernandez (6th, 1 on in 1st inning off Preston Gainey, 1 out)
WIS:
Clint Coulter (16th, 1 on in 6th inning off Isaac Gill, 1 out)
WP: Chris Kirsch (5-6)
LP: Preston Gainey (2-6)
TIME: 2:58
ATTN: 3,604