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Great Lakes Drops Series in Loss

July 28, 2012 - Midwest League (MWL) Great Lakes Loons

MIDLAND, MI - The Great Lakes Loons' four-run rally in the eighth inning of Friday night's game at Dow Diamond against the Dayton Dragons came up just short, losing 7-5 before 4,967 fans. With the loss, the Loons drop the series 2-1, their first series loss since July 7-9, also against Dayton. The Loons were out-hit 12-4 in the contest, which began after a 44-minute rain delay.

"We got down early and didn't get a lot of hitting," Loons manager John Shoemaker said. "We took advantage of some walks late in the ball game and got ourselves back in it at 7-5, but had an appeal play go against us which cut our rally short."

The final out of the eighth inning came when the Dragons checked third base after it had appeared the Loons had cut the lead to one on a sacrifice fly to center field. On the appeal, Nick Akins was called out for leaving the base early on the play, negating his run.

"Most of the time, an umpire is not going to call Akins or any runner out unless it's obvious," Shoemaker explained. "When [Dayton was] calling for an appeal, I wasn't too confident, because it did look like he may have left a touch early."

Shoemaker challenged the ruling, arguing that one of Dayton's players was in foul territory at the time of the appeal and thus should have voided it; nevertheless, the out was recorded to end the inning, which started with three walks and a hit by pitch. With the bases loaded, Akins dropped a single into left field for two runs. Jesse Bosnik followed with a run-scoring double before Guerrero's at-bat.

The Loons were held to one run through the first seven innings, as Robert Stephenson made his Midwest League debut, starting on the hill for the Dragons. The Cincinnati Reds first round selection from 2011 tossed six strikeouts and two walks over five innings of work to pick up his first win with Dayton.

"He's got a good fast ball and a good breaking ball," Shoemaker said. "When you've got a good fastball pitcher, you've got to be geared up to hit the fast ball, and when he throws the curveball over the plate that makes it doubly tough. It looks like he's a good pitching prospect for Cincinnati and I think he's going to have a good career."

The Great Lakes Loons hit the road on Saturday to pick up a three-game series with the Fort Wayne TinCaps before starting a four-game set with the Bowling Green Hot Rods on Tuesday. The Loons will return to Dow Diamond on Saturday, August 4, to battle the Dayton Dragons. Following the game will be a Fireworks Loontacular powered by Dow Corning.

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Midwest League Stories from July 28, 2012


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