Pedroza, Loons Win in Extras
May 21, 2009 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Great Lakes Loons News Release
CEDAR RAPIDS, IA - Jaime Pedroza broke a 3-all tie in the 13th inning with a three-run home run, propelling the Loons to a dramatic 6-3 extra innings win Thursday afternoon over the Cedar Rapids Kernels.
Pedroza's blast came with Matt Wallach and Dee Gordon on base off reliever Chris Armstrong (1-1). Blake Brannon (1-0) pitched three scoreless relief innings for his first win of the year. Luis Garcia recorded the game's final three outs for his second save. Kyle Smit, Jordan Pratt, Brannon and Garcia combined for eight shutout innings of relief.
The Loons scored the game's first three runs in the first inning. Gordon tripled on the game's second pitch, then scored on the game's fourth pitch on a Pedroza single. Kyle Russell drove in a run with a ground out. Then Austin Gallagher singled home the inning's third run.
After scoring in the first, the Loons did not score again until the 13th. Between the 4th and 12th innings, Kernels pitchers Marnaurys Correa, Andrew Taylor and Armstrong combined to retire 26 Loons batters consecutively.
The Kernels tied the game at 3-3 in the fifth. The Loons nearly picked off Tyson Auer, but the throw from starter Nathan Eovaldi went past Gallagher. Auer then tripped between second and third but Gallagher's throw from shallow right field sailed into left field and Auer scored on a two-error play.
In the ninth, still tied at three, the Kernels loaded the bases with one out and Dwayne Bailey at the plate. Bailey brought home the winning run the previous night with the bases loaded and one out on an error. After a fouled squeeze attempt on the first pitch, Bailey grounded to Pedroza at second, who started a second to home to first double play to end the inning.
Eovaldi started and allowed two earned runs in five innings.
The Loons (22-18) conclude their three-game series Friday evening against the Kernels (20-20) from Veterans Memorial Stadium. Right-hander JonMichael Redding (5-1, 4.73 ERA), the Dodgers' No. 18 prospect, will be opposed by righty Tyler Chatwood (1-2, 1.93), the Angels' No. 11 prospect. The game will be carried locally on ESPN 100.9-FM. Game time is 7:35pm ET.
The Great Lakes Loons are the third-year Single-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers and members of the Midwest League. For more information about the Loons, visit Loons.com or call 989-837-BALL.
• Discuss this story on the Midwest League message board...
Midwest League Stories from May 21, 2009
- Four RBI from Castellanos not enough - Quad Cities River Bandits
- Missed chances doom 'Caps - West Michigan Whitecaps
- Puckett homers again, Dragons win 8-5 - Dayton Dragons
- Coleman's Homer Lifts Cougars - Kane County Cougars
- Chiefs Win 4-1 Thursday Night - Peoria Chiefs
- Rattlers win streak ends in heartbreak - Wisconsin Timber Rattlers
- Pedroza, Loons Win in Extras - Great Lakes Loons
- Pedroza's big fly sinks Kernels in extra innings, 6-3 - Cedar Rapids Kernels
- Bees Use 16 Hits in Ten-Run Win - Burlington Bees
- Bees Defeat Silver Hawks, 12-2 - South Bend Silver Hawks
- Dragons GameDay - Dayton Dragons
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
