Blue Rocks Split Doubleheader With Hot Rods

After a two-day break due to inclement weather, the Blue Rocks came back on Sunday, May 8, to win their first of two games in their doubleheader and lose the second, taking the series overall (3-2).

The Blue Rocks took on the Bowling Green Hot Rods for their fourth and fifth games of their series. The fourth game started off quickly with Bowling Green lightening up the scoreboard 3-0 in the first half inning with RBIs from Osleives Basabe, Diego Infante and Alexander Ovalles. Blue Rocks’ fielding had a rough start, however, with one throwing and one fielding error.

They answered back in the bottom of the second with an RBI from Israel Pineda and Drew Mendoza to make the game 3-2. The next two and a half innings would be scoreless until Pineda hit his second home run of the season, sending Ricardo Mendez home for a 4-3 lead.

Scoring wouldn’t continue until the top of the sixth when Bowling Green’s Ovalles hit a line drive to left field, sending Ronny Simon home. With a tied game during the seventh inning, the eighth started with Infante placed on second base. Heriberto Hernandez hit his 11th double of the season to send Infante home, putting Bowling Green in the lead 5-4.

This wouldn’t last long, however, as Pineda singled to send Ricardo Mendez, the runner placed on second base, home to tie the game. At the top of the ninth, their was no scoring from the Hot Rods, leaving the game wide-open for Cole Daily, who was subbed in to replace Jordy Barley, to hit a line drive to left field for the Blue Rocks’ third walk-off victory of the series.

Wilmington pitcher Zach Brzykcy had his fourth win of the season, with Bowling Green’s pitcher, Joe LaSorsa, being handed the loss.

Although the first game of the doubleheader saw back-to back scoring for the two teams, the second was scoreless for seven innings. It was a pitchers battle between the Blue Rock’s Seth Shuman and Bowling Green’s Seth Johnson until the sixth inning, with the two pitchers striking out five and four, respectively.

The 0-0 tie lead to another round of extra innings, where the first run was brought in by Pedro Martinez at the top of the eighth. Another was soon to follow after Hernandez hit another double to bring Martinez home and end the inning 2-0.

When it came time for the Blue Rocks to respond, they managed to send in Barley, who had started on second, off of a line drive to right field from Pineda. With Pineda on first and two outs in the inning, Omar Meregildo took his .309 batting average up to the plate. After a pitch from Sean Mullen, Meregildo hit the ball in the air to be caught a near ten-feet from the wall, ending the game 2-1.

The win was credited to the Hot Rod’s Cole Dryer, with Malvin Pena receiving the loss.

The Blue Rocks ended the series against the Hot Rods 3-2, all three victories ending in a walk-off. They will look to continue their progress away against the Brooklyn Cyclones for a six game series starting on Tuesday, May 10.