All four of the Lugnuts' series this season have ended in sweeps, dropping three games at Dayton, winning three at Great Lakes, losing three to Lake County, and topping Bowling Green in three straight.
Mark Sobolewski and Brad Glenn each contributed three hits for the Lugnuts, with Glenn extending his hitting streak to 11 games, but it was the 19-year-old native of Puerto Rico who stole the show.
Just activated from the Disabled List, Jimenez arrived in Lansing from Florida earlier in the day along with outfielder Brad McElroy. He wasted no time making an impact.
In the second inning, the catcher doubled and scored the Lugnuts' first run against Bowling Green starter Jason McEachern (0-3).
In the third inning, Jimenez singled and stole two bases as the Lugnuts built their lead to 4-0. One of those three Lansing runs came on a steal of home by McElroy, Lansing's first steal of home since Tyler Pastornicky accomplished the feat on June 30, 2009, against Great Lakes.
A.J. Jimenez doubled again in the fifth inning, coming home on a Ryan Goins RBI single. Goins would later score on an RBI double by Balbino Fuenmayor.
After the Hot Rods halved their deficit to 6-3 in the sixth, Jimenez capped off his night with a two-run double. A subsequent bases-loaded walk to Fuenmayor closed out the scoring.
Lugnuts starter Matt Fields (1-1) earned the victory, allowing three runs on three hits in 6 2/3 innings. Reliever Brian Slover recorded the final seven outs in perfect order to close out the visitors.
Bowling Green manager Brady Williams missed most of the game, ejected by bases umpire Nick Mahrley one batter into the bottom of the first inning for arguing Lugnuts runner Kenny Wilson had gone out of the baseline in eluding a tag during a rundown.
On Tuesday night, Lansing right-hander Dave Sever (0-1, 4.91) takes to the mound for the opener of a three-game series at Fort Wayne, opposed by left-hander Mike Watt (0-0, 2.45). First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.
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