Defensive Miscues Haunt Hawks in 5-3 Loss

Published on August 29, 2013 under Midwest League (MWL1)
South Bend Silver Hawks News Release


Poor fundamentals doomed the South Bend Silver Hawks on Thursday night. Five errors resulting in three unearned runs cost the Hawks a couple of outs in a 5-3 loss to the Bowling Green Hot Rods. Hot Rods second baseman Tommy Coyle led the way with two hits and two RBIs on the night.

South Bend (78-57, 34-32) got off to a rough defensive start on Thursday night. Hot Rods center fielder Andrew Toles led off the game with a routine ground ball to second. Fidel Pena's threw to first but first baseman Rudy Flores missed the bag and then dropped the ball, allowing Toles to reach first on the error. With one out, Coyle singled on a ground ball through the left side, advancing Toles to second with one out. Hawks starter Aaron Blair (L, 0-2) proceeded to balk, moving the runners up to second and third respectively. The error and balk came back to hurt Blair as catcher Justin O'Conner grounded out to short, scoring Toles from third and giving the Hot Rods a 1-0 lead.

Bowling Green (79-55, 41-25) extended their lead to 2-0 in the top of the third inning. Toles started the rally again, this time with a clean single to right leading off the inning. Blair tried to pick Toles off but threwh the ball well wide of first and into the Hawks bullpen, allowing Toles to go around to third with nobody out. Right fielder Joey Rickard flew out to his opposite number in right as the sacrifice fly plated Toles for his second run of the game and a 2-0 Hot Rods lead.

The Silver Hawks, the Class-A affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks, cut the lead to 2-1 in the bottom of the third inning. Bowling Green starter Jordan Harrison (W, 5-2) had retired the first six batters he faced through two innings but surrendered a leadoff bunt single to left fielder Mike Lang to lead off the inning. Center fielder Breland Almadova then beat out a high chopper to second, putting runners at first and second with nobody out. Shortstop Andrew Velazquez drove in Lang from second with a line drive single to right-center and also advanced Almadova to second on the play. The Hawks were poised to tie the game with two on and no outs but Harrison wriggled out of the jam. Second baseman Fidel Pena flied out to center for the first out. Almadova was then picked off second base on a quick move from Harrison for the second out and right fielder Socrates Brito grounded out to end the inning at 2-1 in favor of Bowling Green.

South Bend took advantage of an odd fielding play to take the lead in the bottom of the fourth. Third baseman Brandon Drury walked to lead off the inning.Flores dropped a fly ball single into center that advanced Drury to second base. Catcher Roidany Aguila grounded out back to the pitcher, moving the runners to second and third with one out. Designated hitter Justin Williams also hit a ground ball back to the pitcher and that was when things got interesting. Drury got caught between third and home and was tagged out during the 1-5-2 rundown. Flores advanced to third during the rundown and Williams tried to reach second base. Hot Rods catcher O'Conner tried to gun down Williams at second but threw the ball wide of the bag. The throw went into the outfield and rolled all the way to the right-center field wall, allowing both Flores and Williams to score and giving the Hawks a 3-2 lead.

The lead was short lived as Bowling Green, the Class-A affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays, struck back for two runs in the top of the fifth to wrest back the lead. Designated hitter Patrick Leonard led off the inning with a line drive single to left-center field. After a strike out by first baseman Ryan Dunn, Toles continued to be a thorn in the side of the Hawks' pitchers, lining a single to right that advanced Leonard to third. Toles then stole second for his Midwest League-leading 62nd stolen base of the season. Blair struck out Joey Rickard for the second out of the inning but he was unable to escape the jam. Coyle lined a two-run single up the middle to give the Hot Rods the lead back at 4-3.

Bowling Green tacked on an insurance run in the top of the sixth inning as more defensive miscues cost Blair and the Hawks. Left fielder Leonardo Reginatto smacked a one-out single to center. Leonard singled with two outs to move Reginatto to second. Dunn hit what should have been the inning-ending ground ball to third but Drury failed to make the play and Reginatto scored on the error, stretching the Hot Rods lead to 5-3. That was the end of the line for Blair who went five and two-thirds innings allowing five runs (only two earned) on seven hits in the losing effort. Tyler Green came on to replace Blair and he retired Toles to end the inning.

Harrison kept the score at 5-3 going into the bottom of the seventh inning when Nick Sawyer came on in relief. Harrison went six innings, allowing three runs (one earned) on five hits, earning the win for the Hot Rods. Sawyer pitched a scoreless seventh and Thomas Brendel came into the game for the Hawks to pitch the eighth. Brendel worked around a hit and a walk but struck out two in a scoreless inning. Sawyer started the eighth for the Hot Rods and retired two batters before yielding to Matthew Spann (S, 2). Spann retired all four batters he faced for the save and the Hot Rods took game two of the series 5-3.

The Hawks play their last regular season home game on Friday night as they finish the three-game series with the Hot Rods. First pitch is at 7:35pm. Blake Snell (4-8, 4.14 ERA) gets the start for Bowling Green while Blake Perry (7-7, 4.77 ERA) starts for South Bend. It's Friday Night Fireworks so come on out and see the Silver Hawks' fireworks spectacular.

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



Midwest League Stories from August 29, 2013


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central