Hot Rods Game Notes
May 2, 2019 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Bowling Green Hot Rods News Release
About Yesterday... The Hot Rods split a double header with the Cedar Rapids Kernels. In game one, Bowling Green defeated the Kernels 3-2 thanks to some great pitching and a homer. Joe Ryan struck out eight hitters and allowed one hit over five innings and get an early lead in the third. Cedar Rapids took a 2-1 lead by scoring in the third and fourth innings, but Osmy Gregorio hit his third home run of the season in the fifth, a two-run shot that gave the Hot Rods a 3-2 edge. Trey Cumbie earned a six-out save in the victory. In game two, the Hot Rods couldn't put the Kernels away. After taking a 2-0 lead through 2 1/2 innings, Cedar Rapids tied the game in the bottom of the third. Bowling Green took a 4-2 lead in the top of the fifth, but Cedar Rapids plated three in the bottom of the inning to take a 5-4 lead and never looked back. They added another run in the sixth and went on to win 6-4 to split the twin bill.
On Strike... The Hot Rods lead all class-A teams with 280 strikeouts. After being in a dead-heat with the Quad Cities River Bandits, Bowling Green has pulled ahead and leads the Bandits by nine strikeouts. The next closest MWL team is the Burlington Bees who have 240, 40 strikeouts behind.
The strange case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde... The Hot Rods pitching staff owns the sixth-best staff ERA in the MWL at 3.80 over their league-leading 225.0 innings of work. When you break that down between the starters and bullpen, it's a completely different story. The starter's ERA is fourth in the league at 3.36 while their 1.23 WHIP is fifth best. They've induced the second-most double play balls while allowing the sixth-fewest hit total and fifth-best batting average against (.217). The bullpen, however, has the fifth-worst ERA in the league at 4.34 while issueing the fourth-highest walk total in the league with 64.
Hot like a tailpipe... Bowling Green has hit the second-most home runs in the league entering Thursday's game. They trail tomorrow's opponent (Peoria) with 22 home runs while they're second in the league in runs scored (127) which is five behind Great Lakes. What makes that number more impress is the fact that the Hot Rods have been shutout four times in their first 26 games.
We're going streaking... Michael Smith played in his first two games since being activated from the IL yesterday, and extended his team-best on base streak to 13 games by getting a hit in game one and walking in game two. The outfielder is batting .343 with a triple, six RBI, and three runs scored but has an incredible .511 on base percentage.
Wandering Award... Wander Franco was named the Midwest League Player of the Week on Monday following a seven day tear that saw the shortstop extend his hit streak to 12-games before losing it on Sunday. During the week Franco slashed .429/.500/1.000 over six games, bashing three homers in addition to three doubles, five RBI, seven runs, three walks, and a stolen base. The week included a two-homer performance by the 18-year-old on April 25 in a 6-5 series-opening win.
Yesterday's Notes... In game one... The Hot Rods are 8-0 in series opening contests... Bowling Green won their third straight... Hollis had his third multi-RBI game of the season... Gregorio's homer snapped an eight-game hitless skid... He made his first appearance in a game since being activated from the IL on April 28... Cumbie has earned a save in back-to-back appearances... The 1:47 minute time of game is the shortest contest of the 2019 season... The team left two runners on base, the lowest total of 2019... It's one less than the previous low of three, set on April 14 against Fort Wayne... In game two... Franco had his sixth multi-hit game of the year and fourth two-hit game... Witherspoon had his third multi-RBI game of 2019... The team's four hits tie a season low... It's the third time this season they've had four hits in a game... The nine hits allowed by Padilla are the most by a reliever this season... The two doubles he allowed tie a season high for a pitcher...
Midwest League Stories from May 2, 2019
- Chiefs Sweep Dayton on Herrera's Walkoff Single - Peoria Chiefs
- Dragons Lose in Extra Innings, 4-3 - Dayton Dragons
- Six-run Fifth Sinks LumberKings - Clinton LumberKings
- Rattlers Fall 10-4 in Lansing - Wisconsin Timber Rattlers
- Cougars Claim Series with One-Run Win - Fort Wayne TinCaps
- Cabezas' Quality Start Not Enough Thursday - Cedar Rapids Kernels
- Hot Rods Game Notes - Bowling Green Hot Rods
- Bees Blowout Cubs 10-1 - Burlington Bees
- Early Deficit Sinks Cubs in Series Finale against Burlington - South Bend Cubs
- Colts at Bat with the TinCaps 2019 Featuring Marlon Mack & Jabaal Shear - Fort Wayne TinCaps
- Bandits Sweep Lake County as Starting Pitching Dominates Doubleheader - Quad Cities River Bandits
- Snappers drop series finale to Great Lakes - Beloit Sky Carp
- TinCaps Game Notes: May 2 vs. Kane County (Game 26) - Fort Wayne TinCaps
- Sweep of the Snappers - Great Lakes Loons
- Dragons Notes for Thursday - Dayton Dragons
- Wisconsin Timber Rattlers Brew up a New Craft Beer Social Space for Fans - Wisconsin Timber Rattlers
- United Federal Credit Union Rooftop Individual VIP Tickets Now Available - South Bend Cubs
- Andrew Cabezas activated from 7-day Injured List - Cedar Rapids Kernels
- Burlington Splits Twinbill with South Bend - Burlington Bees
- Cubs and Bees Split Wednesday's Doubleheader 2-1, 2-0 - South Bend Cubs
- Gregorio Homers as Hot Rods Split Twin Bill Wednesday - Bowling Green Hot Rods
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