Loons Win First of Four with Ft. Wayne
June 7, 2007 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Great Lakes Loons News Release
It was a game in which so many things went wrong, you never knew what was going to happen next.
Adolfo Gonzalez drove in the go-ahead run for the Loons with a solo homerun in the sixth inning, then was ejected from the game his next at bat arguing a check-swing call with the umpire (Adam Hamari) who didn't make the call.
Loons' manager Lance Parrish used three different first basemen in three innings and two starting pitchers in relief in the Loons' 6-4 victory in the first game of a four-game series against Fort Wayne. James Peterson singled in the fifth inning, only to have the field umpire Alex Ortiz send him back to the plate after a ball wandered into play from the bullpen, only to have Peterson walk on the very next pitch. That same inning, with Peterson trying to steal second, Preston Mattingly walked. Peterson was ruled out by Ortiz who didn't see the call at the plate. He then walked off second base, was tagged by the shortstop Jesus Lopez, ruled out again by Ortiz, only to be re-ruled safe by Ortiz because it was Ortiz's initial ruling that caused Peterson to leave the base in the first place.
The two teams combined for four errors and countless other plays that should have been made but weren't, with a stiff wind blowing out to left field contributing to the chaos.
After Ft. Wayne took a 1-0 lead, the Loons scored three runs - just one earned - in the first inning off starter Aaron Breit. Throwing errors by Breit and catcher Matt Stocco contributed to the inning. Ft. Wayne tied the score with two in the third off Loons starter Michael Gardner, then retied the score at 4-4 with a run in the fourth. The Loons had taken the lead on a Mattingly RBI single in the third. The tie was broken by Gonzalez's sixth inning shot.
Great Lakes (27-32) added to its lead with an insurance run in the eighth when Scott Van Slyke scored from third on a two-out error by second baseman Rayner Contreras. Bridger Hunt was thrown out at the plate trying to score from second.
Cody White (6-5) and Josh Wall made their 2007 debuts as relievers, with scoreless sixth and seventh innings, respectively. White was the pitcher of record when Gonzalez hit his homer. Miguel Ramirez pitched the final two innings without allowing a run for his sixth save of the season.
The Wizards out-hit the Loons, 16-11, and had three players - Javis Diaz, Rayner Contreras, and Jesus Lopez - record three hits in the game.
These two teams meet Friday at Dow Diamond for Game Two of the series. Garrett White will get his first professional start for the Loons. The game will be preceded by a concert by The Sinclair Band and followed by a fireworks show powered by Dow Corning. Game time is 7:05 and tickets are available three ways: the Dow Diamond ticket office, by phone at 989-837-BALL, or online at Loons.com.
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Midwest League Stories from June 7, 2007
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