Lugnuts close road trip with 5-1 defeat

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. - Easton McGee allowed one run in six innings and the Bowling Green Hot Rods (14-10) used a four-run third inning to defeat the Lansing Lugnuts (11-12), 5-1, on Sunday afternoon at Bowling Green Ballpark.

The Hot Rods won three of four games in the series.

Bowling Green leadoff hitter Ford Proctor doubled twice, once leading off the first inning against Lansing starter Juan De Paula (Loss, 2-2), when he scored on a Connor Hollis sacrifice fly for a 1-0 Hot Rods lead, and again leading off the third inning. De Paula hit Hollis two batters later, followed by a Chris Betts two-out, two-run double for a 3-0 lead. A throwing error by shortstop Jordan Groshans added the Hot Rods' fourth run, followed by a Jake Palomaki RBI single to cap the rally.

That was all that McGee (Win, 3-0) and three Hot Rods relievers needed. The 6-foot-7 right-hander allowed six singles and a walk, striking out two, and allowing only a D.J. Neal RBI single in the fifth inning. Cristofer Ogando blanked the Lugnuts in the seventh, Nick Sprengel followed suit in the eighth and Chris Muller handled the ninth, striking out two.

Lugnuts second baseman Nick Podkul went 1-for-2 with a single and two walks and designated hitter Hagen Danner went 2-for-4 with two singles in the loss.

Lansing center fielder Reggie Pruitt made an exceptional diving catch in the fifth inning, robbing Bowling Green first baseman Kaleo Johnson of a hit. Pruitt also finished 0-for-4, ending his 19-game on-base streak.

Starter De Paula allowed five runs, three earned, on five hits and two walks, striking out one in five innings. Josh Hiatt tossed three scoreless innings in relief, allowing two hits and striking out three.

After a league-wide day off on Monday, the Lugnuts will open a six-game homestand at Cooley Law School Stadium on a $2 Taco Tuesday, April 30th, with the first of a three-game series against the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers. First pitch is at 6:05 p.m., with gates opening at 5 p.m. To purchase tickets and live the Lug Life, visit lansinglugnuts.com or call (517) 485-4500.
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