After sputtering for seven innings, the Bowling Green Hot Rods’ offense found its gear just in time, rallying for a 3-2, 12-inning win over West Michigan on Monday at Bowling Green Ballpark.

Down to its last out in the ninth, Bowling Green (66-46 overall, 29-14 second half) rallied to tie before Kevin Padlo secured the fourth walk-off win of the season with a double in the 12th.

“That was a huge win for us, especially coming back that way,” BG manager Reinaldo Ruiz said. “That’s the kind of team we have right now. They battle all the way. They are not going to be an easy out. I am really proud of my boys.”

West Michigan (60-49 overall, 21-21 second half) scored two runs in the third and held that 2-0 lead heading into the eighth before the Hot Rods turned things around.

Bowling Green got a two-out RBI single from Kewby Meyer to trim the deficit to one.

One inning later, Peter Maris’s grounder with two outs was booted by Whitecaps second baseman David Gonzalez to extend the game, allowing Zacrey Law to bloop a game-tying RBI single to right field to force extra innings.

It stayed 2-2 until the 12th. The Hot Rods put runners on first and second with one out for Padlo, who crushed a 3-2 fastball to the wall in left-center for the game-winning hit. Padlo barely made it to second before getting mobbed by his teammates.

“We knew we could score some runs there eventually, even though we scuffled a little bit the first couple of innings,” Padlo said. “We kept positive and were able to come through in the end.”

Both teams finished with 11 hits.

West Michigan finished 1-for-11 with runners in scoring position, while the Hot Rods were 3-for-14.

Every Bowling Green batter had at least one hit, with Law finishing with two hits.

LIGHTS OUT

The Hot Rods’ win wouldn’t have been possible without stellar work from the bullpen in relief of starter Michael Velasquez.

Bryan Bonnell and Tim Ingram combined for seven shutout innings, allowing three hits. Bonnell tossed four scoreless innings, while Ingram went the final three to improve to 1-1 on the season.

“The bullpen did a really good job,” Ruiz said. “When you have a type of bullpen like that, you are going to have a chance to win.”

PLAYOFF PUSH

Bowling Green’s win helped to lengthen its lead among teams competing for second-half playoff spots in the Midwest League’s Eastern Division.

The Hot Rods are 11 games clear of a playoff spot, aided by a 21-5 stretch that includes two nine-game win streaks.

Bowling Green’s magic number to clinch its first playoff spot since 2013 is 17 with 27 games remaining.

Padlo it feels like the Hot Rods have a lot of confidence right now and it feels like something special is brewing for this team this season.

“The camaraderie between everybody is bar none,” Padlo said. “Everybody is having a good time. Everybody is laughing and joking around, but at the same time are focused and wanting to win.”

UP NEXT

The series, and homestand, concludes at 6:35 p.m. on Tuesday.

Right-hander Blake Bivens (5-3, 2.87) is scheduled to start for the Hot Rods. Bivens allowed two runs and seven hits with nine strikeouts over seven innings in his last start at Lansing (Mich.) on Aug. 3, earning the victory. He has worked at least five innings in all 11 starts and has yet to face West Michigan this season.

Left-hander Eudis Idrogo (4-3, 4.59) is scheduled to start for the Whitecaps. Idrogo earned the win in his last start against Dayton (Ohio) on Aug. 3, allowing one run and three hits in seven innings. He took the loss in his only start against the Hot Rods on June 30, allowing four runs – three earned – and six hits in four innings.

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