MWL1 Bowling Green Hot Rods

Araiza Strikes Again as BG Rallies to Beat Whitecaps

April 24, 2014 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Bowling Green Hot Rods News Release


Grand Rapids, Mich. - For the second time in the four-game series, Armando Araiza pushed the Bowling Green Hot Rods (Class-A/Tampa Bay Rays) past the West Michigan Whitecaps (Detroit Tigers). On Monday he hit a three-run home run, and on Thursday night he singled home two runs in the ninth inning to help lead the Hot Rods to the 4-3 win. The Hot Rods took the series by winning three out of four games.

In the top of the ninth inning, Bowling Green entered the trailing, 3-2. Yoel Araujo and Alexander Simon began the rally by each drawing walks with no one out. A grounder by Kean Wong to first base moved Araujo to third and Simon to second to help setup Araiza. With two outs and down to his last strike, Araiza singled through the left side to drive home Araujo and Simon to give the Hot Rods the 4-3 lead.

West Michigan led all the way until the ninth inning, and scored in the first inning. Harold Castro led off with a single, and would later score on a base hit by Raph Rhymes. The Whitecaps added two more in the fifth inning, capped by a run-scoring triple by Dominic Ficociello.

The Hot Rods worked to trim the deficit all night, as they scored a run in the second when a ball got away from catcher Tim Remes and went into center field, allowing Ty Young to score who setup the play with a double earlier.

In the seventh inning Bowling Green cut the lead to one. Johnny Field hit a one-out double to the left-center field gap. Wong then singled to center field to score Field, and cut the score at the time to 3-2.

Ian Kendall (2-0) had already tossed a scoreless eighth when he took the mound in the bottom of the ninth. He retired the side with ease, and earned the win out of the bullpen. Jordan Harrison started the game for the Hot Rods, and worked five innings. He allowed just one earned run, but two unearned runs came across.

Scott Sitz (1-3) was on the mound when the Hot Rods rallied on Monday, and he surrendered the two-run single to Araiza in the ninth to earn the loss. Starter Jonathon Crawford only allowed one unearned run in five innings.

The Hot Rods now embark on the second leg of their road trip as they head to Lansing, Mich. to take on the Lansing Lugnuts (Toronto Blue Jays. First pitch is scheduled for 6:05 p.m. CT, and the Pepsi Pre-Game Show will get underway at 5:50 p.m. CT on the radio home for the Hot Rods, 1340 WBGN - The Ticket. Bowling Green will send left-hander JChris Kirsch (0-1, 3.60) to the hill.

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Midwest League Stories from April 24, 2014


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