Hot Rods pitcher Cristopher Sanchez delivers to the plate Monday, May 13, 2019, during South Bend's 3-0 win at Bowling Green Ballpark. (Bac Totrong/photo@bgdailynews.com)

The Bowling Green Hot Rods’ offensive woes continued with a 3-0 loss to South Bend (Ind.) on Monday at Bowling Green Ballpark.

Bowling Green (21-16) was held to six hits, continuing a homestand in which the Hot Rods have scored 18 runs in seven games – going 4-3. BG has scored 34 runs in 13 games in May – scoring five runs once, four runs twice and three runs or less 10 times.

“It was definitely a tough loss tonight,” BG manager Reinaldo Ruiz said. “I think we hit the ball hard, just right at people. Lately, we haven’t been able to put too many hits together. It’s one of those things where sometimes you hit the ball hard and it’s right at them and then you hit the ball weak and you get a hit. That’s baseball and hopefully we can overcome that.”

South Bend (20-15) broke a scoreless tie with a solo homer by Jonathan Sierra in the sixth off reliever Cristopher Sanchez. The Cubs held the one-run lead until the ninth, when Chris Morel delivered an RBI triple with two outs, then scored on an error to make the score 3-0.

“It was tough,” Ruiz said. “We were trying to get a run in since the sixth inning and then they score two runs (against) us. That made it tough because offensively we haven’t been able to score too many runs lately.”

Brailyn Marquez and two relievers combined on the shutout. Marquez (1-0) allowed four hits with six strikeouts over five innings to earn the win. Ryan Lawlor added three scoreless innings, and Ethan Roberts tossed a scoreless ninth to earn his fifth save of the season.

Wander Franco and Ford Proctor paced the Bowling Green offense with two hits each.

Sanchez took the loss in his BG debut, allowing three runs – one earned – in four innings.

Hopksinville native Easton McGee tossed five scoreless innings – allowing four hits with two strikeouts to lower his ERA to 1.83. McGee has worked at least five innings in five straight starts and has allowed two runs over his last 24 innings of work.

“He did a really nice job,” Ruiz said. “He’s been pitching really well for us. He’s very steady. Mechanically he looks fine and he is mixing his pitches really well. He’s been really good for us and hopefully he can continue that.”

ROSTER MOVES

Sanchez and right-hander Miller Hogan were added to the roster before Monday’s game, with right-handed pitchers Joe Ryan and Justin Marsden promoted to High A Port Charlotte (Fla.)

Ryan was 2-2 with a 2.93 ERA in six starts with the Hot Rods, striking out 47 in 27 2/3 innings. He matched a franchise record with 12 strikeouts in a start against Lake County last month and struck out 11 in his last start against Burlington (Iowa) on May 7.

Marsden was 2-1 with a 3.29 ERA in seven appearances out of the bullpen, earning the win in his last appearance against Clinton (Iowa) on Friday.

“It was good to have those guys come into my office and tell them they were promoted to High A,” Ruiz said. “They earned it. They deserved it. They did a really good job for us.”

NOTES

Kaleo Johnson had a hit to extend his hit streak to seven games. … Proctor has eight multi-hit games, while Franco has seven multi-hit games. … Bowling Green dropped to 3-8 against left-handed starters. … The Hot Rods are 8-4 in series openers, losing the last four series openers. … Bowling Green was shut out for the fifth time this season.

UP NEXT

The series continues at 6:35 p.m. Tuesday.

Right-hander Shane Baz (0-0, 1.80) is set to start for the Hot Rods. Baz allowed one run and three hits with seven strikeouts in his BG debut against Burlington on Wednesday.

Right-hander Derek Casey (1-1, 4.85) is scheduled to start for the Cubs. Casey is coming off his best outing of the season, seven shutout innings against Cedar Rapids (Iowa) on May 6.{&end}