Bowling Green, KY – Ty Morrison used his best weapon – speed – to produce the game-winning run at Bowling Green Ballpark for the Hot Rods (6-19) on Tuesday night. After reaching second base on a failed sacrifice bunt attempt, Morrison stole third and then scored when the catcher’s throw skipped into left field, producing a 5-4 Hot Rods win over the Fort Wayne TinCaps (13-12). The first walk-off win of the season snapped a five-game losing streak and evened the season series with Fort Wayne at 2-2.
Morrison’s ninth inning heroics came with one out in the inning in a 4-4 game. Robi Estrada led off the inning with a single to center field, taking second base on a balk by Fort Wayne pitcher Jeff Ibarra (0-1). With Estrada at second, Morrison attempted a sacrifice bunt that was fielded by third baseman Edinson Rincon. The fielder quickly threw the ball to third, cutting down Estrada for the first out of the inning. However, because of the defensive shift, there was no one at second base, which allowed Morrison to move unimpeded into scoring positon.
It wouldn’t take long for Morrison to make his move. With Tyler Bortnick batting, the Hot Rods’ outfielder took off for third base. As he was sliding in with his seventh steal of the season, the throw from catcher Jason Hagerty bounced into left field, allowing Morrison to leap to his feet and sprint home for the game-winning run.
Early on, it didn’t look like a Hot Rods victory would be nearly that dramatic as Bowling Green scored the first four runs of the game against starter John Hussey. In the first inning, Tyler Bortnick and Dustin Biell both reached on infield singles before a force out left runners at first and third for Ryan Wiegand. The Hot Rods first baseman came through with a gap double to left-center field to plate both runners and give the Hot Rods a 2-0 lead. The runs were just the 5th and 6th scored by Bowling Green in the first inning in 2010.
They tacked on two more in the second frame thanks to three more base hits. Kyle Spraker reached on a lead-off walk, moving to third when Estrada doubled down the right field line. Hussey retired the next two batters but couldn’t get out of the inning as Dustin Biell delivered a two-run, two-out single into center field to boost the Hot Rods lead to 4-0.
Fort Wayne rallied against Kyle Lobstein. They scored three runs in the fourth thanks to an Everett Williams RBI ground out and a two-out, two-run home run from Hagerty to cut the lead to 4-3. In the sixth, Lobstein was removed with one out and a runner at third base. That’s when Alex Koronis came on and threw a wild pitch to tie the game at 4-4.
That was all the offense Fort Wayne could muster against the Hot Rods bullpen. Aside from the wild pitch, Koronis dominated the TinCaps, throwing 2.2 scoreless innings on just one hit and three strikeouts. He was followed in the ninth by Scott Shuman (W; 1-2), who allowed a pair of two-out runners before retiring the side for his first win of the season.
The series continues with the middle game on Wednesday morning with Modern Woodmen Education Day. RHP Alexander Colome (0-2, 2.93) draws the start against Fort Wayne LHP Nick Greenwood (2-0, 3.18) in a re-match of the Hot Rods first game of the season in Fort Wayne. First pitch is at 11:05 AM. For tickets, visit www.bghotrods.com or call the Ticket Office at 270.901.2121.
Pre-game coverage begins on the radio at 10:50 AM with Tom Gauthier and Hank Fuerst on 1340 WBGN and www.bghotrods.com.
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