The Bowling Green Hot Rods started with a bang but fizzled from there, dropping a 3-1 decision to the Lansing Lugnuts on Saturday at Bowling Green Ballpark.

Juan De Paula and two relievers handcuffed the BG offense on a combined two-hitter to send Bowling Green to its sixth loss in the last eight games.

“They pitched really well and we didn’t do a really good job offensively,” BG manager Reinaldo Ruiz said. “We scored that run the first inning and that was it. The bats went silent after that. (Our pitching) gave us a chance, but we couldn’t swing the bats well tonight.”

Bowling Green got two hits in the first – including an RBI single by Grant Witherspoon – but was held hitless the rest of the way.

That allowed the Lugnuts to surge ahead in the late innings.

Lansing finally broke through when LJ Talley scored on a fielder’s choice in the sixth, then took the lead on the first pitch of the seventh on a solo homer by Griffin Conine, his 17th of the season that was a no-doubt shot to right off BG starter Easton McGee. The Lugnuts added an insurance run in the eighth off Hot Rods reliever Chris Muller when Gabriel Moreno stroked an RBI single to left.

Bowling Green went in order the final two innings – and didn’t have a base runner in the final five innings.

“After they scored the insurance run in the eighth it was hard for us to overcome (that),” Ruiz said.

Marcus Reyes earned the win in relief, improving to 7-1, tossing three scoreless innings with five strikeouts. Cre Finfrock tossed a perfect ninth to earn his 13th save of the season.

McGee took the loss despite his sixth quality start in the last seven outings. The Hopkinsville native allowed two runs and seven hits with three strikeouts in 6 2/3 innings.

“He did a great job,” Ruiz said. “He gave us a chance. He was pitching really well.”

NOTES

The two hits for the Hot Rods tied a season-low. … Bowling Green is 37-20 at home and 49-32 against right-handed starters.

UP NEXT

The series continues at 2:05 p.m. Sunday.

Right-hander Caleb Sampen (8-4, 2.80) is scheduled to start for the Hot Rods. Sampen is tied for the team lead with 11 quality starts and is 4-1 with a 1.50 ERA in six starts since the All-Star break. He is 1-0 with a 1.13 ERA in two starts against Lansing this season.

Right-hander Troy Watson (5-2, 3.72) is scheduled to start for the Lugnuts. Watson is 4-1 with a 2.00 ERA in seven appearances – six starts – since the All-Star break. He has allowed five earned runs over eight innings of work against the Hot Rods this season.{&end}