MWL1 Bowling Green Hot Rods

Hot Rods Drop 2017 Regular Season Opener

Published on April 7, 2017 under Midwest League (MWL1)
Bowling Green Hot Rods News Release


Bowling Green, KY - In the opener of their 2017 regular season, the Bowling Green Hot Rods were silenced by the Fort Wayne TinCaps by a score of 4-1 on Thursday night at Bowling Green Ballpark.

Coming off their best season in franchise history, the Hot Rods fell behind quickly in the first inning.

To start the game off against Bowling Green starter J.D Busfield, outfielder Jack Suwinski singled and stole second.

After advancing to third on a single, Suwinski then scored on a sacrifice fly from Hudson Potts to make the score 1-0.

The score stayed that way until the bottom of the fifth inning, when the Bowling Green bats were finally able to get to TinCaps starter Jesse Scholtens (W, 1-0). With one out, designated hitter Garrett Whitley reached base on a bunt single. Two batters later, Whitley scored from first on a two-out RBI double by second basemen Mike Brosseau to tie up the game.

Unfortunately for the Hot Rods, the game did not stay tied for long.

Once Busfield exited the game prior to the sixth inning, Fort Wayne scored three runs off of Bowling Green reliever Adrian Navas (L, 0-1) to plate the final runs of the game. In the frame, TinCaps designated hitter Jorge Ona delivered a two-run triple and scored on a wild pitch.

After reclaiming the lead, Fort Wayne reliever Ben Sheckler and Mark Zimmerman (S, 1) combined to blank the Hot Rods over the final four frames to secure the victory. The TinCaps pitching staff combined to strikeout the Hot Rods 17 times, tying a franchise-record for Bowling Green. Scholtens led the way with 11 punchouts through 5.2 innings.

On the pitching side for the Hot Rods, the Bowling Green hurlers combined to strike out 18 TinCaps hitters, finishing just two away from their franchise record. Busfield struck out seven in five frames, while reliever Dalton Moats had five punchouts in two perfect inning and Deivy Mendez struck out the side in order in the eighth inning. Navas also struck out the side in the sixth inning.

Offensively, Bowling Green had more than double the hits (7) than Fort Wayne (3). First basemen Nathaniel Lowe paced the bats with two hits.

The Hot Rods will play game two of the season-opening series with Fort Wayne on Friday at Bowling Green Ballpark. Lefty Brock Burke is expected to toe the rubber for Bowling Green while Fort Wayne will counter with lefty Logan Allen. First pitch is at 6:35 PM.

You can also listen in to Play-by-Play Broadcaster Alex Cohen for all the games on www.williecountry.com (Click on BG Listen Live) or on AM 1340 and 97.1 Willie in Southcentral Kentucky.

Check out the Bowling Green Hot Rods Statistics

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Midwest League Stories from April 7, 2017


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