MWL1 Bowling Green Hot Rods

Hot Rods-Captains Split Monday Twinbill, BG Takes Series

Published on April 20, 2015 under Midwest League (MWL1)
Bowling Green Hot Rods News Release


Bowling Green, Ky. - Enderson Franco limited Lake County to one run over 6.0 solid innings, as Bowling Green downed the Captains, 4-1, in the backend of Monday's split doubleheader after Lake County claimed a 4-3 victory in the resumption of Sunday's suspended contest in front of an Education Day crowd of 4,221 at Bowling Green Ballpark.

In his second straight start against Lake County, Franco (1-1) allowed just one runner to get into scoring position - Bobby Ison twice - needing just 70 pitches to handle the Captains. The Venezuelan right-hander did not walk a batter and fanned five to pick up his first win of the season.

Bowling Green supported its starter with a single run in the second, commencing with consecutive one-out singles from Coty Blanchard and Mac James off Captains starter Sean Brady, while an error by Ison on James' single moved both into scoring position. Designated hitter Taylor Hawkins, in his first plate appearance of the season after just being added to the roster yesterday, knocked a sacrifice fly to right field to plate Blanchard for the 1-0 lead.

Three more runs came plateward in the third, highlighted by Grant Kay's two-run double down the left field line and Blanchard's two-out RBI single for a 4-0 lead.

Brady (1-1), who held the Hot Rods to one run over 6.0 innings eight days ago in game two of a doubleheader at Classic Park against Franco, gave up six hits and four runs in 4.0 innings.

Brian Miller followed Franco, working an uneventful seventh inning to record his second save of the season.

Game one of the split twinbill was delayed 28 minutes at the outset due to lingering rain in the area, but resumed in the bottom of the fourth with Lake County leading 4-0. Jace Conrad reached on a leadoff bunt single, stole second with two outs and took third on the ensuing throwing error. After he was stranded to end the inning, more rain came to the area forcing another 51-minute delay as the field was re-prepared for play.

Bowling Green netted a two-out run in the fifth off reliever Julian Merryweather to cut the score to 4-1 via Cristian Toribio's RBI single made possible after Bralin Jackson singled to right field and advanced to second on a missed catch at first on a pickoff attempt.

Three straight one-out hits in the sixth produced another Hot Rods run trimming the deficit to 4-2. Casey Gillaspie roped a double down the right field line and advanced to second on Blanchard's single, which snapped a 0-for-17 funk. Nick Ciuffo then lined a RBI single to left centerfield to score Gillaspie. With runners at first and third, Jackson's RBI fielder's choice scored Blanchard making for a 4-3 score.

While the Hot Rods offense rallied, Hunter Wood was fabulous on the hill in relief of Chris Pike (0-1), retiring the first 12 batters he faced before a leadoff walk in the ninth to Francisco Mejia. Bobby Ison then laid down a sacrifice bunt that Wood errantly threw down the right field line, but right-fielder Blanchard - making his first career start at that position - retrieved the ball near the tarp and made a beautiful throw to the plate on bounce, and Ciuffo tagged Mejia for the out.

Overall, Wood threw 5.0 no-hit innings while striking out four. The 6-1 right-hander has 14 punchouts over 11.0 innings pitched having allowed only one hit and leads the Midwest League in opponents' batting average amongst relievers at an amazing .029 clip (1-for-34).

Cameron Hill (2-0) silenced Bowling Green's confident offense over 2.2 relief innings, and J.P. Feyereisen worked around James' one-out single in the ninth to notch his third save of the year and second against the Hot Rods.

Bowling Green had 10 hits as a team in each game, collectively hitting .338 (20-for-59) on the afternoon with 17 out of a possible 18 starters reaching base. Thomas Milone had hits in both contests to up his hitting streak to a season-best five games, while James finished 4-for-7 with two hits in each game.

Tuesday ushers in a three-game set against the Dayton Dragons (Reds) scheduled for a 6:35 p.m. CDT first pitch. Bowling Green plans to throw right-hander Brent Honeywell (0-1, 1.80) against Dragons right-hander Wyatt Strahan (2-0, 1.54).

Check out the Bowling Green Hot Rods Statistics

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



Midwest League Stories from April 20, 2015


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