The Bowling Green Hot Rods made quick work of Lake County (Ohio) with a 3-0 win on Tuesday at Bowling Green Ballpark.

Jose Mujica worked a career-high seven innings and Peter Maris provided the bulk of the offense with a pair of homers as Bowling Green (43-39 overall, 6-7 second half) bounced back from a one-run loss on Monday to even the series in a game that lasted just 2 hours, 7 minutes.

Mujica (3-3) breezed through seven innings on a tidy 86 pitches, 65 for strikes. The right-hander allowed two singles and walked one batter with six strikeouts. Lake County (47-36, 7-6) had only one runner reach second base the entire night.

“I think it was the best outing so far (this year) for him,” BG manager Reinaldo Ruiz said. “He was more aggressive. His tempo was really good. The tempo of the game was really good because of him. Hopefully he can continue to pitch the same way he pitched tonight.”

The Hot Rods got a run in the fourth when David Olmedo-Barrera stole third and advanced home on a throwing error by Captains catcher Sicnarf Loopstok.

Maris provided the rest of the offense with two swings. Playing for the first time since July 2 and the fifth game in the second half, Maris tucked a homer inside the right-field foul pole in the fifth for his first homer in the fifth. Two innings later, Maris went opposite field with a no-doubt liner to left center for his first multi-homer game as a professional.

“The first one was a change-up,” Maris said. “It was kind of elevated and I got a good swing on it. That second one, he elevated a fastball away and I just got a good swing on it, and it went over the fence. The second one, I thought was going to be a double and the first one I just hoped would stay fair.”

Ruiz said it was good to see Maris contribute.

“Even though he doesn’t play that often, he did a great job today,” Ruiz said. “It’s not easy when you don’t play that often. He did a great job, not only offensively, but defensively he did a great job, too.”

Diego Castillo worked two scoreless innings to earn his seventh save of the season, while Michael Russell and Olmedo-Barrera both had a hit each.

ROSTER MOVE

Before the game, the Hot Rods announced that outfielder Manny Sanchez has been activated from the disabled list, with outfielder Landon Cray sent down to Hudson Valley (N.Y.) in the Low A short season New York-Penn League.

Sanchez went on the disabled list June 23, retroactive to June 20, and was hitting .212 in 51 games with four homers and 16 RBIs.

Cray appeared in five games, with three hits – all singles – in 14 at-bats.

All-Star Alum

Former Bowling Green Hot Rods pitcher Alex Colome was selected to the American League All-Star team as part of the Major League Baseball All-Star game, which will take place July 12 in San Diego. 

Colome, who pitched for Bowling Green in 2010, joins Matt Moore as the only former Hot Rods to make an All-Star roster. Moore threw a perfect inning in the AL’s 3-0 win the 2013 All-Star game.

Colome has been a bright spot in the Tampa Bay Rays bullpen, recording a team-high 19 saves with a sparkling 1.76 ERA in 29 games.

UP NEXT

The series continues at 6:35 p.m. on Wednesday, with left-hander Michael Velasquez (3-7, 6.27) scheduled to face Lake County right-hander Brock Hartson (5-3, 2.70).

Velasquez has won three of four starts since rejoining the rotation on June 12, including his last start at West Michigan on June 30 when he allowed two runs and four hits in five innings of work. He is 0-1 in two appearances against Lake County this season, allowing 11 earned runs in seven innings of work.

Hartson is 0-1 in three starts since rejoining the Lake County rotation on June 19, but has pitched well. The right-hander has allowed four earned runs in 17 innings of work in those starts – including six shutout innings in a no-decision against Fort Wayne (Ind.) on July 1. He is 0-1 in two appearances against BG this season, allowing eight earned run in 8 1/3 innings.

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