Hot Rods Game Notes
May 24, 2019 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Bowling Green Hot Rods News Release
About Yesterday... The Hot Rods jumped out to a big early lead, but had to fend off a West Michigan rally to secure a 9-7 win. Bowling Green scored twice in the first on an Osmy Gregorio triple and a Wander Franco double. After scoring once more in the third, the Hot Rods extended the lead to 7-0 as Chris Betts launched a grand slam in the fourth inning, his second of the season. The lead would be threatened, though, as the Whitecaps scored three runs in the bottom of the fourth, chasing Hot Rod starter Cristopher Sanchez in the process. After Gregorio added a solo homer in the fifth, West Michigan rallied in the sixth, scoring four runs off Shane McClanahan, all with two outs. Bowling Green got an insurance run back in the seventh, then McClanahan righted the ship, spinning three scoreless inning to end the contest, securing the series victory with his fourth victory of the season.
Slamming History... In the fourth inning yesterday, Chris Betts hit his and Bowling Green's second grand slam of the season. The blast is the 27th bases-loaded homer in franchise history. Betts also became just the fifth Hot Rod to launch multiple slams in a season, joining Ronaldo Hernandez (2018), Hector Guevara and Jeff Malm (both 2012), and Phillip Wunderlich (2011). Wunderlich currently is the only Hot Rod to ever hit three grand slams in a season.
Roster Shuffle... The Hot Rods added infielder Seaver Whalen to the active roster ahead of Friday's contest. The 24-year-old fills the roster spot of Connor Hollis, who was placed on the Injured List on May 22. Whalen started the season at Class-A Advanced Charlotte, batting .188 with one home run and eight RBI over 30 games. Whalen was originally a 32nd round pick of Tampa Bay in the 2018 MLB Draft out of Lewis and Clark State, an NAIA school.
The Pena Factor ... Despite a slow start, Tony Pena has turned things around at the plate recently and is on a eight-game hit streak, capped off with a 4-for-5 effort on Thursday afternoon. The four hits tie a career-high and is the second four-hit game by a Hot Rod this season. Pena's streak began on May 11 and he's 16-33 (.485) over that span with a double, triple, two RBI, seven runs scored, and seven strikeouts. He also has a .514 OBP despite not having earned a walk in that stretch. On April 20th, the righty's batting average had dipped to .091 but has rebounded nicely. He's now batting .264 this season, the highest it's been since opening day when he went 1-for-4 against Dayton.
Yesterday's Notes... Pena extended his hit-streak to eight games... It ties Johnson's eight-game streak for third-longest of the season... Pena had his eighth multi-hit game of the season... He tied a career-high with four hits... Pena and Roberto Alvarez are the only players to have four hits in a game this season for BG... Smith had his sixth multi-hit game of 2019... Gregorio extended his hitting streak to three games... He also tied a career-high in this with three... It was his sixth multi-hit game of the season and second three-hit effort... Franco had his 12th multi-hit game of the year... It ties him with Roberto Alvarez for the team lead... McClanahan made the first relief appearance of his professional career... He tied a career-high with five walks... Sanchez also tied his career high in walks with four... Betts hit his second grand slam of the season... The other was on May 15 against South Bend... The slam snapped a four-game homer drought for BG... His four RBI tie a career high... It's the third time he's driven in four runs... It also ties the single-game high for RBI by a Hot Rods hitter this season... Betts and Johnson are the only players on the roster to have accomplished the feat... The Hot Rods improved to 9-3 in day games... With Thursday's win, the team is 9-3-2 in series this season... They're 17-8 in games they score first... Thursday improved BG's record when out-hitting their opponent to 21-6...
Midwest League Stories from May 24, 2019
- Balanced Attack Boosts Bandits to Series-Opening 12-3 Win - Quad Cities River Bandits
- Hot Rods Cruise Past Dayton 8-2 to Win Third Straight - Bowling Green Hot Rods
- Thompson Dominates as Cubs Whitewash Whitecaps 4-0 - South Bend Cubs
- Bees Blank LumberKings in Series Opener - Clinton LumberKings
- River Bandits Pull Away from Rattlers - Wisconsin Timber Rattlers
- Snappers Drop Series Opener against Cougars 6-1 - Beloit Sky Carp
- Count 'Em: 20 Hits - Great Lakes Loons
- Shannon, Weiss Provide Friday Fireworks - Kane County Cougars
- Benson Blasts Two Homers in 7-2 Win at Lansing - Lake County Captains
- Chiefs Score Late Runs to Take Game One - Peoria Chiefs
- 'Caps Rough Start Continues - West Michigan Whitecaps
- Dragons Fall to Hot Rods Despite Home Runs by Siani and Rey - Dayton Dragons
- Peoria Prevails over Palm, Kernels - Cedar Rapids Kernels
- Winning Streak Ends in Michigan - Fort Wayne TinCaps
- Benson Blasts Caps Past Lugs, 7-2 - Lansing Lugnuts
- Lugnuts Activate Outfielder Neal - Lansing Lugnuts
- TinCaps Game Notes: May 24 at Great Lakes (Game 45) - Fort Wayne TinCaps
- Hot Rods Game Notes - Bowling Green Hot Rods
- Dragons Notes for Friday - Dayton Dragons
- Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Ohio and Dragons Present An Anthem Home Run for Life - Dayton Dragons
- Bees Edged by Kernels in Pitchers' Duel - Burlington Bees
- Snappers mount massive comeback in suspended game, drop nightcap - Beloit Sky Carp
- LumberKings Split Double Dip with Snappers - Clinton LumberKings
- Captains Close out Dayton Series with Shutout Win - Lake County Captains
- Unassuming, Kind and Heartwarming: Ed Larson, a Bees Legend - Burlington Bees
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