The Bowling Green Hot Rods’ return home after a two-week road trip was spoiled by West Michigan, as the Whitecaps swept BG in a doubleheader Wednesday at Bowling Green Ballpark.

West Michigan blanked the Hot Rods 6-0 in game one behind a five-hit shutout from Anthony Castro, then used a pair of long balls to power past Bowling Green 6-1.

The victories helped the Whitecaps clinch a first half playoff spot with the Midwest League’s top pitching staff leading the way.

“We are definitely happy to be back home, but we didn’t like the way we started the series here,” BG manager Reinaldo Ruiz said. “We are gonna be fine. I think it’s one of those things where we are coming off a long road trip – all those miles and all those close games – and we came back and faced the best team in the league right now. It’s tough.

“They’ve been playing good all year long. They came here and wanted to clinch (a playoff spot) and they did it.”

Castro kept the Bowling Green (30-35) offense off balance the entire night – throwing 96 pitches, 64 for strikes. He struck out five and didn’t allow a runner to reach second until the fifth.

The Hot Rods’ best chance to score came in the seventh, loading the bases with two outs, but Castro struck out Eleardo Cabrera to end the game and preserve the shutout.

“The kid was throwing really – a lot of cutters and he mixed (his pitches) really well,” Ruiz said. “He was pounding the strike zone in and out. He pitched really well.”

On the offensive side, West Michigan (43-22) got two runs in the third – including an RBI single from Danny Pinero – and added a three-run double from Danny Woodrow in the fourth when center fielder Josh Lowe was unable to corral a sinking line drive.

“That was the difference in the game right there, especially when you face a good pitching team like this,” Ruiz said. “When you give up those runs, it is tough to come back.”

Blaise Salter added a sacrifice fly in the seventh to cap the scoring for West Michigan.

Josh Lowe had two of the Hot Rods’ hits in game one.

In the second game, Salter delivered a three-run blast to left off starter Kenny Rosenberg in the first to get the Whitecaps on the board.

Josh Lester added a two-run homer in the second to make the score 5-0.

Rosenberg lasted three innings, allowing eight hits and the five runs with two walks and four strikeouts.

“Rosenberg was behind in the count for the most part and he paid the price,” Ruiz said. “It’s part of the game. Tomorrow is gonna be a different game and we will see how it goes.”

Woodrow added an RBI double in the fifth, with the Hot Rods finally breaking through on Robbie Tenerowicz’s RBI single in the sixth.

Austin Sodders went six innings to earn the win for West Michigan, allowing one run and four hits with six strikeouts.

Immaculate inning

Sodders pulled off the rare feat of striking out the side on nine pitches in the fifth inning of game two, taking down Adrian Rondon, Danny De La Calle and Garrett Whitley.

Let’s play two

Bowling Green fell to 2-4 this season in doubleheaders. The Hot Rods split a doubleheader with Lansing (Mich.) on April 12 and also split with Lake County (Ohio) on May 28. All three doubleheaders have taken place at Bowling Green Ballpark.

Up Next

The series concludes at 12:05 p.m. Thursday with two of the top ERA pitchers in the league squaring off.

Right-hander J.D. Busfield (3-3, 2.08) is scheduled to start for the Hot Rods. Busfield is seventh in the Midwest League in ERA, but is winless in his last six starts. He took the loss, allowing two runs and seven hits in six innings, in his only appearance against West Michigan on May 15.

Left-hander Greg Soto (5-1, 1.86) is scheduled to start for the Whitecaps. Soto is fifth in the Midwest League in ERA. He is 1-0 with a 0.75 ERA in two starts in June. Soto has not faced the Hot Rods this season.{&end}