Bowling Green Has Rattlers Feeling Blue

BOWLING GREEN, KY - The Bowling Green Hot Rods defeated the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers 8-2 in Sunday's regularly scheduled game at Bowling Green Ballpark. The Rattlers outhit the Hot Rods 10-9, but Bowling Green scored six of their runs after there were two outs to beat the Rattlers for the second time on Sunday.

Wisconsin (44-48 overall,. 13-10 second half) wasted no time in getting on the scoreboard. Korry Howell doubled to left with one out. Thomas Dillard followed with a double to right to score Howell for a 1-0 lead.

Bowling Green (55-38, 16-7) wasted no time in getting the lead when it was their turn to bat in the bottom of the first. Jonathan Aranda hit a two-run homer with one out to put the Hot Rods ahead. Grant Witherspoon delivered a two-out RBI double later in the first and the Rattlers faced a 3-1 deficit.

The Hot Rods added to their lead in the third inning with four runs on three straight two-out hits.   Wisconsin starting pitcher Scott Sunitsch walked two straight hitters on four pitches with one out. He got the second out on a popup, but allowed an infield single to load the bases. Jonathan Qsar was next and he lined the first pitch of his at bat off the middle of the wall in right field for a two-run double. Erik Ostberg followed with a two-run single to right and Bowling Green was up 7-1.

The Rattlers threatened in the top of the fifth inning. Howell singled with two outs. Then, Dillard and David Fry drew walks against Bowling Green starter Easton McGee. All three runners were left stranded as McGee got the final out on a foul popout to end the inning.

A walk in the bottom of the fifth inning issued by Chad Whitmer kept the frame going for the Hot Rods and it cost the Rattlers another run. The walk to Qsar moved Tony Peña to second base. Ostberg was next and he singled to center to score Peña.

Gabriel García hit a lead-off home run in the top of the sixth. It was García's tenth homer of the season and he has homered in two straight games. 

Leugim Castillo and Je'Von Ward each singled with one out and a rally was brewing for the Rattlers. Jesús Lujano was next and he ripped a liner ticketed for left-center field…but shortstop Fort Proctor made a leaping grab and threw back to second to double off Castillo for an inning-ending double play.

That play ended the day for Bowling Green starting pitcher Easton McGee, who allowed two runs on nine hits over six innings to set himself up for his seventh win of the season.

The Rattlers would not mount another serious threat to score in the last three innings. The Hot Rods had beaten the Rattlers 6-4 earlier on Sunday in the conclusion of a game that had been suspended on Saturday night.

Wisconsin stranded ten runners and was 2-for-10 with runners in scoring position in the game. Bowling Green was 4-for-8 with runners in scoring position.
The final game of the series is scheduled for Monday afternoon at Bowling Green Ballpark. Adam Hill (6-6, 3.93) has been named as the starting pitcher for Wisconsin. Bowling Green will counter with Caleb Sampen (6-3, 3.07). First pitch is set for 12:05pm. The radio broadcast is on AM1280, WNAM and the TuneIn Radio app starting with the Papa John's Pizza Pregame Show at 11:45am. MiLB.tv subscribers can watch the game over the internet.