Bowling Green Hot Rods Game Notes (at WM)
June 30, 2016 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Bowling Green Hot Rods News Release
Bowling Green Hot Rods (39-37: 37-32, 2-5) vs West Michigan Whitecaps (41-33: 39-28, 2-5)
LHP Michael Velasquez (2-7, 6.51 ERA) vs. LHP Eudis Indigo (1-2, 6.75 ERA)
Bowling Green Hot Rods - Class-A Affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays
Thursday, June 30
#77 of #140 - 7:00 pm
Fifth Third Ballpark - Grand Rapids, MI
LAST GAME
Last Game: In game three of a seven-game roadtrip and a four-game series in Grand Rapids, the Hot Rods lost to the West Michigan Whitecaps by a score of 10-7. The Hot Rods led the game three separate times (1-0, 2-1, 5-2)
NEWS AND NOTES
2016 Midwest League All-Star Game: On Tuesday, six Hot Rods players participated in the 2016 Midwest League All-Star game. SS Jacob Cronenworth (0-for-1, BB, R) was the only selected starter, headlining four position players selected that includes 3B Kevin Padlo (1-for-2, 1B), INF Michael Russell (0-for-3) and C Brett Sullivan (1-for-2, 2B). Joining those four players are LHP Genesis Cabrera (1 IP, 2 H, 1 R) and RHP Diego Castillo (0.1 IP, 0 R, 1 K). Bowling Green has now sent six or more players to the Midwest League All-Star game four times in franchise history, including last year when they sent eight players. In 2013, the Hot Rods had a franchise-record nine mid-season all-stars.
First Half Wrap: With six straight wins and eight victories in their final nine games, the Hot Rods finished off the first half of the Midwest League season with a 37-32 record (fourth place in the East). Bowling Green scored a league-high 363 runs with a +63 run differential and also lead the league in walks (276) and stolen bases (89). Individual league leaders included Brett Sullivan with 10 HR and 51 RBI, Jake Cronenworth with a .426 on-base percentage.
Remember your D.O.B: Since being added to the Hot Rods roster no more than two weeks ago, outfielder David Olmedo-Barrera has broken onto the Midwest League scene in a big way. Hitting safely in all 12 of 13 games he's played, Olmedo-Barrera is hitting .404 with 3 homers and 13 runs batted in.
Who's Hot: C David Rodriguez has a 14-game hitting streak, the longest hit streak for a Hot Rods player this season. During that stretch, Rodriguez is batting batting .354 (19-54). Aside from Rodriguez, INF Kewby Meyer is hitting .526 (9-for-17) during his first four games with the Hot Rods.
Vs. West Michigan: The Hot Rods and WhiteCaps are playing each other for the third time this season, as the WhiteCaps have won both prior series. In the middle of May, the Wihitecaps took two of three at Fifth Third Field while West Michigan swept a rain-shortened two-game series at Bowling Green Ballpark just one week later. The Hot Rods are 2-6 overall against the Whitecaps this year. The two teams play 13 total times this year.
Transactions: During the all-star break, 1B Joe McCarthy became the fifth Hot Rods player this year to be promoted to High-A Port Charlotte. Overall, McCarthy hit .288 with 3 HR and 29 RBI in 43 first half games. He also had 12 doubles, 11 stolen bases and was second in the league with a .425 on-base percentage. Along with McCarthy, OF Manny Sanchez was placed on the disabled list retro to June 20 and both INF Kewby Meyer (from HV) and OF Landon Cray (from PC) were added to Hot Rods roster. Bowling Green has made 26 transactions this year while receiving 4 players from A+ Port Charlotte and have four players on the DL.
News and Notes: By scoring double-digit runs in three of their final four games of the first half, the Hot Rods have scored 11 or more runs eight times this season, nearly triple the times they did it all of last year (3)...Bowling Green tied a franchise-record with 7 doubles on 4/26 vs. CLI (Last set: 7/20/15 vs. LC) ... During game two of a doubleheader with DAY on 5/21, the Hot Rods played their shortest 7-inning game in franchise history (1:26), shattering the previous shortest game by 10 minutes... With a GS-homer and 5 RBI on 5/22 at DAY, Brett Sullivan became the first Hot Rods player with 5 RBI in a game since 6/30/13 (Leo Reginatto) on 5/31 at Lake County, Hot Rods pitchers set a franchise-record by issuing 12 walks, breaking the previous record of 11 that was set six other times in seven prior seasons... In three relief inning against FW on 6/17, RHP Reece Karalus struck out eight batters, the most for any reliever for a single-game in franchise history.. In the final game of the first half on 6/19 at FW, 2B Brandon Lowe tied a franchise-record with 5 walks in a single game, last set in 2010 by Bennett Davis. .. 9 runs given up by Michael Velasquez on 6/24 vs FW tied a franchise record, first set by Enny Romero in 2011.
Current Trends: The Hot Rods are 18-23 in their last 41 games, In each of their 18 wins, they have scored 5 or more runs in all of them. Bowling Green has scored 5 runs or more in three of their last four losses, while the previous 19 losses before that were done by scoring four runs or less in all of them... Thru the first seven games of the 2nd half, the Hot Rods have given up 9 or more runs in 4 games while they only gave up 9 or more runs 3 times the entire 1st half (69 games)
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