Hot Rods Game Notes
August 8, 2019 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Bowling Green Hot Rods News Release
The Hot Rods look to rebound after a 3-1 loss in last night's game which also dropped the Hot Rods out of first place in the Eastern Division (although they still own the leading available playoff spot by two games).
About Yesterday... The Hot Rods dropped the first game of a three-game series and six-game road trip to fall out of first place on Wednesday in a 3-1 defeat at the hands of the West Michigan Whitecaps. Bowling Green got a hot start with Grant Witherspoon launching his 10th home run of the season over a covered deck in right field to give BG a 1-0 edge with one out, but it was the only run the Hot Rods would get on the night. Two runs scored in the second for West Michigan while Cooper Johnson went deep off Hot Rods starter Shane Baz to provide a 3-1 cushion in the fourth. Robbie Welhaf entered the game from the bullpen and scattered a walk and three hits as the Hot Rods took their 50th loss of the season and second to West Michigan this year.
Down but not out... The Hot Rods have fallen out of first place in the second half for the first time since June 27th, ending a 41-day run with at least a share of first. While the team still has control of the "division winner" spot in the playoff hunt, BG hasn't been more than two games back of first in the second half. Great Lakes took sole possession of first place following the Hot Rods loss on Wednesday.
Auguspoon ... Hot Rods outfielder Grant Witherspoon had endured a 3-for-18 slump that saw his batting average sink to .253, his lowest mark since Opening Day, but over his last 10 games has turned things around. The lefty is batting .310 over that stretch, going 9-for-29 with seven runs, eight RBIs, and a homer. In the month of August he's batting .333 with an OBP of .462 while his OPS has reached 1.223 in seven games this month.
Franchise Single-Season Record Chasers... Chris Betts is currently tied with Phillip Wunderlich ('11) with 17 home runs for fourth most in a single season in Hot Rods history. The lefty is two behind Moises Gomez ('18) for third place, four behind Ronaldo Hernandez ('18) for second with 21, and five behind Derek Dietrich for first, who hit 22 in 2011. Betts is also six RBIs behind Jake Hager's ('12) total of 72 in a season, which is fifth in franchise history. Ford Proctor has 26 doubles, which is six behind Tyler Bortnick ('10) in fifth, and also 10 off the franchise mark of 36 set by Jeff Malm and Cameron Seitzer in 2012. Proctor (52) and Betts (55) are both chasing Taylor Walls 2018 walk total of 66 for fifth-most in franchise history. Joel Peguero is tied for fifth place for single-season save (9) with two players, and would move into a tie for fourth with Austin Hubbard ('11) with his 10th of the year. Nick Sprengel is tied for fifth in team history with five holds this season and could tie for fourth with his sixth along with four others. Cristofer Ogando has four holds and could enter the top five with another.
On the road again... The Hot Rods have had a tough season on the road, posting a 26-29 record this season. The pitching staff has posted a 3.33 ERA over 55 games with opponents batting .235 while swatting 28 homers. BG has outscored the opposition by just three runs this year with a batting average of .232 and 32 long balls. They've also drawn 20 more walks than the home team they've faced, but have blown five saves in 22 chances. In the second half, BG is 9-11 on the road and have lost six of their last seven away from Bowling Green Ballpark.
Yesterday's Notes... Witherspoon's homer was his first since June 28th against Great Lakes... He joins Chris Betts and Ruben Cardenas as the only three Hot Rods to have 10+ homers this season... Proctor has a four-game hit streak.... Whalen has a three-game streak... Baz tied a career-high with six innings pitched... It was also his second quality start of the season... The Hot Rods are 10-2 against the Whitecaps in 2019... BG falls to 26-29 on the road this season... They're 14-9 in games decided by two runs... Hot Rods starters are 40-26... The team falls to 21-15 in the first game of a series...
Midwest League Stories from August 8, 2019
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