MWL1 Bowling Green Hot Rods

Pike's Gem Leads Hot Rods Past West Michigan, 5-2

Published on July 12, 2015 under Midwest League (MWL1)
Bowling Green Hot Rods News Release


Comstock Park, Mich. - Behind Chris Pike's exemplary mound work, Bowling Green snapped a three-game skid, topping the West Michigan Whitecaps, 5-2, in front of 5,574 fans at Fifth Third Ballpark Sunday afternoon.

Pike (8-2) tossed 7.0 innings for the fifth time in 2015 - first since May 27 - allowing just two hits and two runs, while walking one and striking out four. After Zach Shepherd's RBI single in the bottom of the second inning gave the Whitecaps (11-6, 44-42) a 1-0 lead, All-Star Pike set down the next 14 batters and 16 of the final 17 to end his outing.

In the fourth inning, Pike benefitted from two phenomenal diving catches centerfielder Thomas Milone taking hits away from Ross Kivett and Mike Gerber in consecutive at-bats.

Bowling Green's (9-9, 46-42) offense came back with a pair of runs in the top of the fifth inning against Whitecaps starter Jeff Thompson for a 2-1 edge. Milone set the table with a one-out single and stole his 16th base, while Grant Kay upped his career-best hitting streak to nine games with a RBI single into centerfield to tie the game at 1-1. After a Bralin Jackson strikeout, Justin Williams gave the Hot Rods their first lead of the game with a two-out RBI single to left, scoring Kay from second for the 2-1 cushion.

Thompson (3-8) was touched for seven hits over his 6.0 innings of work, striking out six and walking two.

Cristian Toribio tripled to open the seventh against Josh Heddinger and scored on Kay's second RBI single, pushing the Hot Rods advantage to 3-1.

West Michigan cut the Hot Rods margin back to one run in the bottom of the seventh inning, when Michael Gerber tripled with one out into centerfield - breaking the 14-batter retired streak by Pike - and scored on Will Kengor's RBI groundout on the next, pulling the Whitecaps within 3-2. Pike bounced back, though, fanning Arvicent Perez on a 3-2 fastball to finish the inning.

Bowling Green answered with another two-run frame in the eighth, as the first three Hot Rods to bat reached - Hunter Lockwood led off with a walk, Mac James singled Lockwood to third and Carter Burgess walked against new reliever Matt Davenport to load the bases. Toribio hit into a fielder's choice that cut down Burgess at second base, but his hard slide into shortstop David Gonzalez permitted Lockwood and James to score and pad the cushion to 5-2.

Mike Franco worked the final 2.0 innings on one hit with one strikeout for his fourth save. West Michigan combined for just three hits off of Hot Rods pitching, while Kay, Williams, James and Alec Sole all notched two-hit games.

Bowling Green plays its final game of the regular season in Comstock Park, Mich. on Monday at 6 p.m. CDT, when Yonny Chirinos (1-0, 0.00) makes his second start with the Hot Rods, opposing Fernando Perez (1-5, 4.07), as the Hot Rods look for a series split.

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Midwest League Stories from July 12, 2015


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