Bowling Green, KY – The West Michigan Whitecaps (34-33) used two four-run outbursts on Thursday night to beat the Bowling Green Hot Rods (35-32) 9-1. Tyler Goeddel drove in the lone run on a quiet night at the plate for the Hot Rods offense. Bowling Green had a chance to eliminate the Whitecaps from playoff contention with a win, but West Michigan staved off elimination for another night.

The Whitecaps took an early 1-0 lead, but the Hot Rods answered when Tyler Goeddel brought in a run on a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the third. That was it for the Hot Rods offense on Thursday night as the Whitecaps scored the game’s final eight runs. The first of two West Michigan four-run outbursts came in the top of the fifth when Eugenio Suarez lined a single to left field, Steven Moya smashed a two-run home run, and Curt Casali hit a solo homer.

The Hot Rods offense sputtered down the stretch as the team only recorded one hit in the final six frames. Whitecaps starter Tommy Collier lasted seven, impressive frames to earn his fifth win of the season. The win for the Whitecaps slots them one game behind the Hot Rods in the Eastern Division with one game to play.

The Hot Rods will welcome the Fort Wayne TinCaps to town on Friday night at 7:05 PM CDT for the first of a three-game series at Bowling Green Ballpark.