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Bad Bounce Seamingly Costs Hawks, 5-2

August 8, 2014 - Midwest League (MWL1)
South Bend Silver Hawks News Release


The South Bend Silver Hawks (26-21, 66-50) bullpen and defense struggled in the late game as the Great Lakes Loons (23-24, 57-60) came from behind for a 5-2 victory on Friday night at Four Winds Field. A Silver Hawks error led to two unearned runs in the bottom of the eighth to tie the game and the bullpen could not hold the game as the Loons rallied for three in the ninth to take the win.

South Bend, the Class-A affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks, jumped out to an early lead in the bottom of the first inning after just two batters. Velazquez led off with a ground-rule double to deep right-center field. Designated hitter Chuck Taylor gave the Hawks the lead with a double down the left field line that plated Velazquez. Great Lakes starter Greg Harris kept the early deficit at one run by stranding Taylor at third with two outs.

The Hawks doubled their lead in the bottom of the third inning. Velazquez again got the rally started, this time with a bunt single to third. He proceeded to steal second base with Taylor at the plate. Taylor flew out to center for the first out of the inning but a wild pitch moved Velazquez to third with one out. Harris recovered to strike out first baseman Daniel Palka for the second out of the inning before walking third baseman Joe Munoz to put runners at the corners. The Loons looked to be out of the inning when left fielder Justin Williams hit a chopper to short. Loons' shortstop Delvis Morales tried to get the force at second but his throw was wide of the base, allowing Munoz to reach second and letting Velazquez score on the error for a 2-0 lead.

Banda was magnificent in his home debut for the Hawks as he kept the Loons off the scoreboard in his six innings of work. Great Lakes only managed to create a threat against Banda in the top of the third inning when they loaded the bases with two outs on two walks and a single. He escaped that jam by getting third baseman Paul Hoenecke to ground out to first to end the inning. He allowed just three hits and three walks while striking out five Loons in his outing.

Great Lakes, the Class-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers, tied the game in the top of the eighth against Hawks reliever Will Locante with a pair of unearned runs courtesy of some shoddy Silver Hawks defense. Designated hitter Brandon Trinkwon led off the inning by reaching first on a throwing error by Velazquez. Center fielder Malcolm Holland followed with a single that put runners at first and second. Locante struck out second baseman Jesmuel Valentin for the first out of the inning before hitting Hoenecke with a pitch to load the bases with one out. Locante induced right fielder Joey Curletta to hit a grounder to third that resulted in a force play at the plate for the second out of the inning. He then got first baseman Josmar Cordero to also hit a grounder to third but this one skipped off a seam in the turf and past Munoz for a two-run double that tied the game at 2-2.

The wheels fell off the South Bend bullpen in the bottom of the ninth. Silvino Bracho (L, 3-1) entered and struck out the first batter he faced. Morales followed with a line drive single to left. He advanced to second on Trinkwon's ground out to third. With two outs and two strikes on Holland, Bracho surrendered an opposite field double placed perfectly down the right field line that scored Morales for a 3-2 Great Lakes lead. The Loons extended the lead immediately as Valentin crushed a 1-2 pitch from Bracho far over the right-center field wall for a two-run homer and a 5-2 Loons advantage.

Victor Araujo (W, 5-1), who entered the game in the bottom of the eighth for Great Lakes, pitched two shutout innings for the win. He got a double play from Palka to work around a lead off single in the eighth inning. Araujo then pitched around a leadoff hit batter in the ninth inning by retiring the next three hitters in order to close out the win for the Loons.

The Silver Hawks and Loons continue the four-game series on Saturday night with first pitch scheduled for 7:05pm. Brandon Martinez (1-7, 4.58 ERA) gets the start for Great Lakes while the Hawks counter with Blake Perry (6-4, 4.54 ERA). It is Flat Screen Saturday at Four Winds Field where the Silver Hawks are giving away a 39" flat screen every inning. It is also Bobblehead night at the ballpark with the first 750 fans through the gates receiving a free A.J. Pollock bobblehead. Pollock was a former Notre Dame and Silver Hawks baseball player and has spent parts of the last couple seasons in the major leagues with the Diamondbacks.



Midwest League Stories from August 8, 2014


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