The Bowling Green Hot Rods continued to play well, picking up a pair of wins over Clinton (Iowa) on Wednesday at Bowling Green Ballpark.

The Hot Rods held on to win the completion of Tuesday’s suspended game 12-8, before hanging on for a 3-2 win in the regularly scheduled game. Bowling Green (10-10) improved to 6-2 at BG Ballpark this season and climbed back to .500 for the first time since April 14.

Bowling Green also clinched its first series win since sweeping Dayton (Ohio) in a two-game series to open the season.

BG manager Reinaldo Ruiz said it was two good wins coming off a 3-4 road trip through South Bend (Ind.) and Great Lakes (Mich.)

“That’s a great start for us here at home after that long road trip,” Ruiz said. “It’s good that we could come up with these two victories. We’re producing runs… and we’re happy with the offense. They are keeping the momentum going. It’s good to see the guys swinging the bats.”

Bowling Green entered the day with a 10-5 lead with two outs in the fifth inning in the game that was suspended Thursday due to rain, but Clinton struck for two more runs in the fifth and added a run in the sixth to trim the deficit to 10-8.

The Hot Rods added an RBI single from Brandon Lowe in the bottom of the sixth and Manny Sanchez opened the eighth inning with his second home run of the season as BG equaled its season high for runs.

Bowling Green finished with a season-high 18 hits. Sanchez had four hits and three RBIs, while Jake Cronenworth, Brett Sullivan and Angel Moreno finished with three hits each. Lowe had two hits and three RBIs.

Jose Alvarado tossed two scoreless innings to earn the win.

In Wednesday’s regularly scheduled game, the Hot Rods jumped out to a 2-0 first inning lead on an RBI double by Kevin Padlo and an RBI single by Sanchez.

Clinton (11-8) tied the score on a two-run homer from Gus Craig, but Sanchez hit a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the inning and Hot Rods reliever Diego Castillo made it stick with two scoreless innings to earn his first save of the season.

Roel Ramirez earned the win after allowing two runs on three hits in five innings, while Cronenworth finished with two of the Hot Rods’ six hits.

“Every time we have a pitcher go five innings, with the kind of offense we have right now, we are going to have a good chance to win games,” Ruiz said. “The pitching is very important. Hopefully we can pitch well and the offense can continue to swing the way they’ve been swinging.”

DOUBLE YOUR PLEASURE

Bowling Green’s 18 hits in the first game included a franchise record-tying seven doubles, the third time in franchise history the Hot Rods tallied seven doubles in a game. BG last accomplished the feat in a 4-3 loss at Lake County (Ohio) on July 20, 2015.

Five different Hot Rods had a double in Wednesday’s opener, with Sanchez and Sullivan connecting on a pair of doubles each.

DOUBLE YOUR PLEASURE AGAIN

Double plays proved to be a big factor in Bowling Green’s 3-2 win in Wednesday’s second game.

The Hot Rods turned three double plays in consecutive innings, including a double play when Clinton’s Rayder Ascanio was thrown out getting back to first after left fielder Angel Perez’s catch on a sinking line drive.

“That was huge early in the game,” Ruiz said. “Clinton is a team that can put the ball in play. It was key for us to be able to make those plays.”

REACHING BASE

Cronenworth continued to set the table in the leadoff spot, with five hits combined in the two games. Cronenworth has reached base in all 17 games he has played and is second in the Midwest League in batting average (.433) and on base percentage (.525).

“I take the same approach to every single at-bat, no matter if guys are on base or I’m leading off – it’s hit the ball hard and get on,” Cronenworth said. “If it means I have to walk or put it in play with two strikes, any way possible is my approach.”

Ruiz said Cronenworth is one of the main reasons why the Hot Rods are second in the league with 112 runs scored.

“He’s a big piece of our offense,” Ruiz said. “He’s seeing a lot of pitches. He’s getting on base. He’s a great hitter with two strikes. That’s the kind of leadoff guy we want.”

UP NEXT

The Hot Rods will look for the sweep when the three-game series concludes at 6:35 p.m. on Thursday.

Right-hander Lukas Shiraldi (2-1, 2.25) is scheduled to start for Clinton, with left-hander Genesis Cabrera (1-0, 1.26) scheduled to start for Bowling Green.

— Follow Bowling Green Hot Rods reporter Micheal Compton on Twitter @mcompton428 or visit bgdailynews.com.