Bowling Green managed just four hits Thursday against Lansing (Mich.), but the Hot Rods maximized that output by plating four runs in a 4-2 victory at Bowling Green Ballpark.

The victory put the Hot Rods back into a tie with Lansing for first place in the Midwest League Eastern Division standings, and Bowling Green (37-21) will hold the tiebreaker with the Lugnuts in the first-half standings.

“It was a good ratio – four hits, four runs, we’ll take that ratio,” Bowling Green manager Craig Albernaz said.

Hot Rods catcher Ronaldo Hernandez provided much of that offense, plating the first run of the game with an RBI double in the bottom of the second inning and adding a majestic two-run home run to center field that put the Hot Rods up 4-1.

Hernandez, a native of Arjona, Colombia, signed with the Tampa Bay Rays for $225,000 as an international free agent in 2014. Now rated as the Rays’ No. 19 prospect – and top catcher – by mlb.com’s MLB Pipeline, Hernandez has looked like money well spent by the franchise.

This season, Hernandez leads Bowling Green in home runs (7) and RBIs (43) while batting .308. Hernandez was one of six Hot Rods named Wednesday to the Midwest League Eastern Division all-star team.

Hernandez, 20, also flashed a strong arm when he completed a pivotal strike’em out-throw’em out double play by gunning down Chavez Young on a stolen base attempt to end the first.

“He’s having a really good year,” Albernaz said of Hernandez. “He’s an all-star and he’s earned it, which is a great individual accomplishment for him. He’s been in the middle of the order pretty much all year.”

Hernandez said through a translator that he’s just trying to do his job at the plate and hit line drives.

“I’m feeling comfortable at the plate and seeing the ball really well,” Hernandez said. “All I’m trying to do is hit the ball hard and make good contact.”

Bowling Green went up 1-0 in the bottom of the second when Moises Gomez and Hernandez hit back-to-back doubles off Lugnuts starter Turner Larkins. Hernandez later came around to score on a dropped third strike that turned into a throwing error at first base by Lansing catcher Andres Sotillo.

The Lugnuts got a run back in the top of the third on Ryan Noda’s solo home run off Alex Valverde – the lone mistake made by the Hot Rods starter in six solid innings as he earned the win to improve to 4-2 this season.

“He pitched to contact, which was good,” Albernaz said of Valverde. “That defense behind him, we had three double plays when he was pitching.”

Hernandez’s two-run blast in the fourth boosted the Hot Rods’ lead to 4-1 before Noda got his second homer of the night – another solo shot off reliever Hunter Schryver – to lead off the eighth.

Schryver escaped further damage with a big assist from Hot Rods right fielder Emilio Gustave, who came up throwing on Sotillo’s shallow single to the outfield. Gustave one-hopped a throw on a line to Hernandez at home plate that beat Brock Lundquist by at least three steps for the run-saving final out of the inning.

“He’s been making really good throws,” Albernaz said of Gustave. “He probably has one of the best arms in all of minor league baseball.”

UP NEXT

The Hot Rods visit Dayton (Ohio) to start a four-game series with the Dragons on Friday night. Starters have not been announced for the 6 p.m. CDT start.