MWL1 Bowling Green Hot Rods

Whitecaps Top Hot Rods in 13 Innings

Published on April 23, 2014 under Midwest League (MWL1)
Bowling Green Hot Rods News Release


Grand Rapids, Mich. - Game three of a four-game series between the Bowling Green Hot Rods (Class-A/Tampa Bay Rays) and West Michigan Whitecaps (Detroit Tigers) proved to be a back-and-forth contest, and required 13 innings to complete. In the end, a throwing error sent West Michigan home winners on Wednesday afternoon, 5-4. The two teams traded leads leading up to extra-innings.

For a second straight game the Hot Rods began the scoring. In the fourth, Kean Wong led off the frame with a walk. Johnny Field then dropped a single into center field to move Wong up to second base. A sacrifice bunt by Pat Blair put runners at second and third for Oscar Hernandez. He followed with a single to left field, scoring both Wong and Field to put Bowling Green out in front, 2-0.

West Michigan took the lead with a three-run bottom of the fourth inning. Jose Zambrano led off with a walk, was moved to second on a bunt, and then scored when Dominic Ficociello singled to center field. Ben Verlander then capped the inning with a home run that went curved just to the right of the left-field foul pole for a home run, and a 3-2 Whitecaps lead.

The Hot Rods answer was swift as they tied the game in the fifth, and re-took the lead in the sixth. Yoel Araujo started the frame with a double to left field, his first extra-base hit as a Hot Rod. Two outs later, Wong lined a double to right-center field to drive Araujo home. In the sixth, Hernandez recorded his second hit of the game, and was plated when Ty Young tripled to the right-center field gap. Bowling Green led 4-3 going into the bottom of the sixth.

A defensive miscue allowed the Whitecaps to tie the game in their half of the sixth. Raph Rhymes doubled to lead off the inning, and was at third base with two outs. Wynton Bernard hit a grounder to first base that went under the glove of Alexander Simon. No out was recorded, and Rhymes scored to tie the game at four.

The teams remained knotted until the bottom of the 13th inning. Tyler Gibson led off with a single to right field, and Jose Zambrano followed by reaching on a bunt, which advanced Gibson to second base. Javier Betancourt then put down a bunt, and the throw went to third base. The throw was high and went down the line, allowing Gibson to score to give the Whitecaps the walk-off win.

Jake Faria was good in the start for Bowing Green, and Colton Reavis dominated. He worked four innings, allowing just one walk and striking out six batters. Reavis set the new season-high for strikeouts amongst Hot Rod relievers. Aaron Griffin (1-2) pitched well in extras as well, but picked up the loss.

Montreal Robertson (1-1) tossed three and two-thirds scoreless innings as the final reliever for West Michigan, and he earned the win after the walk-off.

The Hot Rods will try to clinch their first series victory Thursday night in the finale with West Michigan. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. CT, and the Pepsi Pre-Game Show will get underway at 6:20 p.m. CT on the radio home for the Hot Rods, 1340 WBGN - The Ticket. Bowling Green will send left-hander Jordan Harrison (0-1, 3.60) to the mound. After the game, the Hot Rods will travel to Lansing, Mich. for the second leg of their road trip against the Lansing Lugnuts (Toronto Blue Jays).

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Midwest League Stories from April 23, 2014


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