Midland, MI – Kyle Spraker and Dustin Biell homered for the Hot Rods on Saturday night, helping the team come back from an early 6-0 deficit. The comeback ultimately fell short as Bowling Green lost to the Great Lakes Loons 7-5 in the opener of their three-game series. The loss snapped the Hot Rods three-game winning streak and leaves them at 3-1 on their final six game road trip of the 2010 season.

Spraker began the Hot Rods comeback in the top of the fifth inning trailing 6-0. With two outs, Spraker took the first pitch from starter Josh Wall over the left field wall for his fifth homer of the season and his second in as many nights to make it a 6-1 game.

An inning later, Biell struck as part of a three-run frame. With two outs and a runner at second, Tomas Francisco drove in the first run of the inning making it a 6-2 game with a single to center field. Biell then followed with his second homer of the road trip, a towering shot to right field that cut the lead to 6-4.

Great Lakes built its lead with a six-run first inning against starter Merrill Kelly. The first four batters all reached and scored to begin the inning against Kelly. Eventually, the Loons put up six runs on five hits and a pair of walks to build a 6-0 lead after one inning.

After that, the Loons offense went quite. Counting the final two outs of the first inning, Kelly retired the next nine batters before committing an error in the fourth inning. After recording the second out in the fourth, Alex Koronis came on to pick up the final out of the inning.

Kelly officially went 3.2 innings, allowing six runs on five hits and two walks, all coming in the first inning. He struck out three to take his first loss in a Hot Rods uniform.

Koronis continued in relief of Kelly, closing out the rest of the game with 4.1 innings of work. He allowed just one run, coming on two flare singles and a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the eighth. He didn’t walk a batter and struck out five in the longest outing of his career.

The Hot Rods made one final push to come all the way back in the top of the ninth inning. They loaded the bases with two outs on three walks from Loons closer Luis Vasquez. Julio Cedeno forced in one run on another walk to cut the deficit to 7-5, but Brett Nommensen lined out to shortstop to end the game with the bases still full.

The series continues on Sunday afternoon at Dow Diamond as Yorman Mayora (1-3, 5.79) makes his third start for the Hot Rods. He’ll take on Great Lakes LHP Ryan Christenson (2-1, 7.67). First pitch is at 2:05 PM CDT.