MWL1 Bowling Green Hot Rods

Sullivan Locks Down Another Hot Rods Win

Published on August 6, 2010 under Midwest League (MWL1)
Bowling Green Hot Rods News Release


Bowling Green, KY - For the second straight night the Hot Rods turned to lefty Jake Sullivan to lock down a dramatic win over the South Bend Silver Hawks. Sullivan struck out Matt Davidson with the tying and go-ahead runs on base in the ninth, earning the Hot Rods a 7-6 win to split their four-game series with the Hawks. The victory, dramatic as it was, draws the Hot Rods within one game of the playoff hunt behind the Lansing Lugnuts entering the weekend.

Early on, it didn't appear as if the Hot Rods would need Sullivan's heroics again. They opened up an early lead against left-hander Mike Belfiore (1-9) in the first inning by drawing a pair of lead-off walks. The eventually received a sacrifice fly from Ryan Wiegand and an RBI double from Bennett Davis to take a 2-0 lead.

After South Bend drew a run closer against Aaron Dott in the second, Bowling Green tacked on an unearned in their half of the frame. Julio Cedeno and Kyle Spraker each singled, taking an extra base on a throwing error by South Bend to leave runners at second and third. After Dustin Biell grounded out to strand both runners, Cody Rogers brought home Cedeno with a groundout to bump the lead back to two runs at 3-1.

An inning later Bowling Green was at it again when Tyler Bortnick singled, followed two batters later by a walk to Bennett Davis. Mark Thomas followed with a run-scoring double to drive home Bortnick and advance Davis to third. Cedeno then made it a 5-1 game with a sacrifice fly to left to score Davis.

South Bend began to draw back at that point, cutting the lead to 5-2 on an Andrew Fie double against Dott in the fourth. Tyree Hayes entered at that point, throwing two shutout frames before giving up another run on a sac fly in the seventh to shrink the Hot Rods lead to 5-3.

Bowling Green would then stretch the lead out again in the seventh and eighth innings. In the seventh, Ty Morrison walked, stole second, went to third on a catcher's throwing error, and then scored on a wild pick-off throw from Chris Odegaard. An inning later, with one out, Cedeno put an exclamation point on his home stand by smashing a line drive home run into the Hot Rods bullpen for a 7-3 lead.

That's when the game got interesting in the ninth inning. Reliever Yorman Mayora issued a one-out walk and a two-out single to put runners at first and third for Keon Broxton. The South Bend lead-off hitter answered the bell with his third hit of the game, a two-run double to right-center to cut the lead down to 7-5. Mayora then gave up another double to Victor Estevez, driving home Broxton for a one-run game at 7-6.

Mayora exited at that point for Sullivan, who retired five men in a row on Thursday night to lock up his second save of the season. On Friday, Estevez stole third before Sullivan walked Bobby Borchering. Sullivan went to a 3-2 full count on the next batter, Matt Davidson, before blowing a high fastball by him for a strikeout to end the game.

Sullivan earned his third save, sealing a fourth win for Tyree Hayes (4-0). Hayes allowed one run over three innings of work. Dott took a no-decision, failing to make it through five innings due to his pitch count. He pitched well, however, giving up two runs on five hits in four innings.

Cedeno finished the night with two more hits with another pair of RBI. He finished the home stand with 12 hits in 26 at-bats, smacking three doubles and a home run while driving in a total of ten runs. He takes a seven game hitting streak onto the road after hitting safely in every game of the Hot Rods home stand.

The Hot Rods now hit the road just one game out of the playoff chase entering a key four-game series with the Fort Wayne TinCaps (San Diego Padres) on Saturday night at Parkview Field. LHP Kyle Lobstein (7-6, 4.54) takes the ball in the series opener against Fort Wayne RHP Matt Lollis (2-0, 2.60). First pitch is at 6:05 PM CDT. You can listen to the game with Tom Gauthier beginning at 5:50 PM CDT on 1340 AM WBGN and www.bghotrods.com.

The Hot Rods return home to begin an action-packed six-game home stand on Wednesday night against the West Michigan Whitecaps (Detroit Tigers) and the Great Lakes Loons (Los Angeles Dodgers). Wednesday night is Gift-Card-O-Mania presented by Best Buy®. Other great events include a Thrifty Thursday presented by All Hit WUHU 107 and Beaver 96.7 FM and Friday Fireworks presented by Crossroads IGA. For a full list of promotions and tickets to the fun, visit www.bghotrods.com.

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Midwest League Stories from August 6, 2010


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