Game Notes
May 17, 2019 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Bowling Green Hot Rods News Release
About Yesterday... The Hot Rods opened a four-game series against the Lake County Captains and got off to to a fast start. In the second inng, Grant Witherspoon launched an opposite-field solo homer, scoring the first run of the game. Connor Hollis then singled, went to third on a wild pickoff throw, then scored on a wild pitch to put Bowling Green up 2-0. In the fourth, Tony Pena was hit by a pitch, then went to second on a balk. Roberto Alvarez followed with an RBI single up the middle to extend the lead to 3-0. The score remained the same into the seventh inning as Caleb Sampen dominated on the mound. In the bottom of the seventh, though, Sampen allowed a walk and single to open the inning, followed by a pair of strikeouts. However, he allowed back-to-back doubles to Miguel Jerez and Hosea Nelson, tying the game. In the eighth, Chris Muller allowed a solo homer to Will Benson, putting Lake County up 4-3. However, the Hot Rods tied the game on three conseuctive singles, with Jake Palomaki's hit to right tying the contest, sending the game to extra innings. In the tenth, though, Muller threw conseuctive wild pitches with pinch-runner Connor Smith on second, giving Lake County the walkoff 5-4 win.
Steady Sampen... Despite settling for a no-decision, Caleb Sampen delivered another exemplary performance on the mound. The right-hander tied a career high by pitching 7.0 innings, allowing three runs and striking out seven, while setting down 15 of 16 batters at one point. Thursday's start was the fourth consecutive quality start for Sampen, who has a 2.36 ERA and 30 strikeouts (with only three walks) elapsing 26.2 innings in that span. He now ranks among the Midwest league leaders in innings pitched (third with 40.0), strikeouts (tied for sixth with 43) and WHIP (ninth at 1.03).
Betts is Bashing... Chris Betts had a memorable eighth inning on Wednesday, beginning the inning with a single, then ending it with the first grand slam of his career, becoming the first BG hitter to have two hits in an inning since Emilio Gustave in the 4th inning on June 1, 2018 against West Michigan. As a result, Betts tied his career-high in RBI. He also finished the homestand with a flourish, going 8-for-20 with four extra-base hits and five runs scored in the last five contests. By scoring twice, Betts moved into a tie for third in the Midwest League with 24 runs scored.
Bumpy Road in Relief... Chris Muller allowed two runs (one earned) in taking the loss on Thursday night. With that, Hot Rods relievers have taken the loss in each of the last three losses for Bowling Green and five of their last seven setbacks. After starting the season 7-3, the 'pen has gone 3-5 since May 1. While the BG bullpen has struck out the third-most batters in relief, they have walked the fourth-most and posted the fifth-worst bullpen ERA in the Midwest League.
Yesterday's Notes... Pena collected his third outfield assist, the most by a Hot Rods outfielder...Pena was hit by a pitch twice, the second time a Hot Rod has been plunked twice this season (also Connor Hollis on April 9)...Johnson had an eight-game hitting streak snapped...Alvarez recorded his tenth multi-hit game and second in a row...His three hits were a season high...Hollis picked up his seventh multi-hit game...Palomaki hit leadoff for the first time this year...Sampen went 7.0 innings, tying his season and career high (also May 3 at Peoria)... Sampen also recorded his fourth-straight quality start...The Hot Rods are 3-2 in extra innings this season...Bowling Green lost in walk-off fashion for the first this season and the first time since August 16, 2018 at Great Lakes...The Hot Rods fell to 7-5 in one-run games...BG is 8-5 in series openers, having lost their last five openers...Bowling Green is 89-73 all-time against Lake County, 38-43 at Classic Park...
Midwest League Stories from May 17, 2019
- LumberKings Fall in Extras - Clinton LumberKings
- Wisconsin Erases 9-1 Deficit to Defeat Burlington 14-9 - Wisconsin Timber Rattlers
- Errors Leave Cougars Standing - Kane County Cougars
- Streaks Continue for Akins, Kernels - Cedar Rapids Kernels
- Comeback Cubs Strike Again, Beat Dayton 6-3 - South Bend Cubs
- Eight-Run Sixth Powers Chiefs to Win Friday - Peoria Chiefs
- Sixth Inning Dooms River Bandits in 8-0 Loss - Quad Cities River Bandits
- Cardenas Homers in Loss to Hot Rods - Lake County Captains
- TinCaps' 1st Inning Causes Lugs to Drop 10th - Lansing Lugnuts
- Beloit Walks Off 1-0 over Kane County - Beloit Sky Carp
- Hot Start Paves Path for TinCaps Victory - Fort Wayne TinCaps
- Dragons Build Early Lead But Fall in South Bend on Saturday - Dayton Dragons
- All It Takes Is One - Great Lakes Loons
- Hot Rods Even Series With 3-1 Win Over Lake County - Bowling Green Hot Rods
- OF Ramiro Rodriguez transferred from extended spring training to Quad Cities - Quad Cities River Bandits
- Timber Rattlers Homestand Highlights for May 20-23 - Wisconsin Timber Rattlers
- Mike Nutter to be Inducted into the Northeast Indiana Baseball Association Hall of Fame - Fort Wayne TinCaps
- Albee Weiss joins Kernels from Elizabethton - Cedar Rapids Kernels
- TinCaps Game Notes: May 17 vs. Lansing (Game 39) - Fort Wayne TinCaps
- More Jarvis Landry Celebrity Softball Game Participants Released - Lake County Captains
- Dayton Dragons GameDay & Notes for Friday - Dayton Dragons
- Game Notes - Bowling Green Hot Rods
- Whitecaps Split Doubleheader - West Michigan Whitecaps
- Captains Outlast Hot Rods in Wild, Extra-Inning Affair - Lake County Captains
- Loons Split Doubleheader in West Michigan - Great Lakes Loons
- Bullpen Gem Hands Cougars Win in Beloit - Kane County Cougars
- Bees Win Series Opener in Extras, 5-4 - Burlington Bees
- Beloit Loses Pitcher's Duel to Kane County 2-1 - Beloit Sky Carp
- River Bandits Run Roughshod over Chiefs 21-1 - Quad Cities River Bandits
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