
Hot Rods Step on the Gas in Late Innings, Race Past Hawks 4-1
August 28, 2013 - Midwest League (MWL1)
South Bend Silver Hawks News Release
The Hawks and Hot Rods battled in a classic pitchers' duel through eight innings before the Bowling Green Hot Rods came through with three runs in the ninth to defeat the South Bend Silver Hawks 4-1. Bruedlin Suero (W, 1-0) delivered a sterling relief performance for the win and first baseman Patrick Leonard drove in the game winning run to boost the Hot Rods back into the lead in the race for best record in the Midwest League Eastern Division.
The Hawks held a half game lead over the Hot Rods coming into this crucial three-game series. The series began with starter Jesse Darrah on the mound for South Bend (78-59, 34-31) on Wednesday night. Darrah was dominant early as he tossed a perfect first inning and then worked around two walks to pitch a scoreless second inning. Left fielder Marty Gantt stepped to the plate with men on first and second and two outs but Darrah sat him down on strikes to end the inning.
South Bend, the Class-A affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks, took the lead in the bottom of the second inning against Hot Rods starter Jeff Ames. Catcher Michael Perez led off the inning by working the count full and then launching a solo homer over the right field wall for a 1-0 Hawks lead. That was the only run either team would score off of the two starting pitchers.
Darrah carried a no-hitter into the fifth inning. With two outs, center fielder Andrew Toles lined a single off of Darrah's glove that broke up the potential no-no. Toles was then thrown out attempting to steal second base, ending the fifth inning. Darrah's night was done after five as he allowed just one hit and no runs against the best offense in the Midwest League's Eastern Division.
After allowing the homer to Perez, Ames matched Darrah zero for zero the rest of the way, keeping Bowling Green (78-55, 40-25) in the game. Ames threw five innings and allowed just one run and three hits while striking out four Hawks.
Thomas Brendel entered the game for the Hawks in the top of the sixth inning in relief of Darrah. He worked a scoreless sixth, walking one and striking out one. Bowling Green, the Class-A affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays turned to Suero in the bottom half of the sixth to take over for Ames. Suero kept the Hawks off the scoreboard in the sixth and the game moved to the seventh with the Hawks holding a 1-0 lead.
The Hot Rods pushed across a run to tie the game in painful fashion in the seventh inning against South Bend reliever Kyle Winkler. With one out, catcher Oscar Hernandez smacked a line drive up the middle for a single. Gantt followed with a lined shot to center of his own that put runners on first and second. First baseman Patrick Leonard then loaded the bases with a hot shot off the glove of Pedro Ruiz at short. The Hawks went to the bullpen and summoned Daniel Gibson to try to escape the bases-loaded jam. He induced Toles to loft a fly ball to left field. Justin Williams, making his South Bend debut, got fooled by the flight of the ball but recovered to make the catch. Hernandez should have been able to jog home easily from third but he came up lame with a lower body injury coming down the line and limped across the plate just ahead of the relay throw to tie the game at one.
Suero and Gibson kept the game tied at 1-1 through the bottom of the eighth inning. Hawks closer Enrique Burgos (L, 2-2) came on for Gibson to start the ninth inning and he struggled for his second consecutive outing. He walked second baseman Tommy Coyle to lead off the inning. Geoff Rowan, who had entered the game at catcher in place of the injured Hernandez, laid down a sacrifice bunt that advanced Coyle to second. Burgos then walked Gantt, causing the Hawks to go to the pen once again. This time, Geordy Parra got the call to try to wriggle out of trouble. Parra faced Leonard who dropped a single between the outfielders in right-center, scoring Coyle for a 2-1 lead and advancing Gantt to third. Parra then struck out Toles for the second out of the inning. Right fielder Joey Rickard came to the plate next and grounded a single up the middle. Gantt scored on the base hit while Leonard moved over to third and then scored when Hawks center fielder Breland Almadova threw the ball past the third baseman. Rickard ended up at third on the play as the Hot Rods extended the lead to 4-1. Parra got shortstop Leonardo Reginatto to ground out to end the inning but the damage had been done.
Suero exited the game after the eighth. He threw three scoreless innings and struck out five Hawks while allowing just two baserunners and retiring the last seven hitters he faced. Andrew Hanse (S, 2) came into the game to close it out for the Hot Rods in the ninth. The Hawks managed to get the tying run to the plate as Perez walked with one out and Williams singled with two outs. Hanse revved up and struck out Ruiz to end the game and strike out the side in the inning.
The Hawks and Hot Rods continue their series on Thursday night at 7:05pm. Left-hander Jordan Harrison (4-2, 2.75 ERA) gets the start for Bowling Green while Aaron Blair (0-1, 3.75 ERA) takes the hill for the Silver Hawks. Former Detroit Tiger and MLB All-Star Denny McLain will be in attendance with a free autograph session for fans taking place from 6pm until midway through the game. It is also Thirsty Thursday with $1 beer and soda all night long. Make sure to make it to Thursday night's game to get an autograph from the last major league pitcher to win 30 games in a season (31-4 in 1968).
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