MWL1 Great Lakes Loons

Early Deficit Too Much for Loons to Overcome

Published on August 12, 2014 under Midwest League (MWL1)
Great Lakes Loons News Release


MIDLAND, Mich. - If there was such a thing as a mulligan in baseball, the Great Lakes Loons would have used it in the first inning Tuesday.

That, or press a reset button.

The first seven Bowling Green batters had hits against Loons starter Zachary Bird, and the end result was a six-run inning that set the tone for a 12-6 Hot Rods win at Dow Diamond. The game was first of a three-game series between the two teams and first of a six-game homestand for the Loons.

The loss dropped the Loons a half-game behind Dayton and a game behind Lake County in the race for two available Midwest League Eastern Division playoff spots with 19 regular season games left to play.

Tuesday's game was delayed 45 minutes by rain, and then the Loons never really got started. Bird, now 5-14, didn't retire a batter until the No. 8 hitter, Elias Torres, struck out. When No. 9 hitter James Harris then singled, Loons manager Bill Haselman replaced Bird with Kyle Hooper, but the damage was done.

"It's a long way to come back from," said Haselman. "I mean, seven straight hits? That's tough to do even in batting practice, but (Bird) just never found his rhythm out there. Everything he threw was up in the zone and they didn't miss."

Bowling Green's lead eventually grew to 10-1 before a five-run sixth inning by the Loons made things interesting. Brandon Trinkwon keyed the rally with a three-run homer while the Hot Rods also committed three errors.

"We made them nervous there for a second," Haselman said.

The Hot Rods put the game away once and for all in the eighth on an RBI single by Elias Torres and a passed ball.

Starting pitcher Chris Kirsch improved to 9-6 for Bowling Green as he pitched five strong innings with six strikeouts. It was the 10th consecutive start in which Kirsch has allowed one run or less. Kean Wong finished with three hits for the Hot Rods while five other players had two hits.

Trinkwon finished with three hits for the Loons while Jesmuel Valentin, Joey Curletta and Spencer Navin each had two hits.

The Loons and Hot Rods resume their series Wednesday (7:05 p.m.). Right-hander Victor Arano (4-6, 4.03 ERA) will get the start for the Loons while Bowling Green will counter with righty German Marquez (3-6, 3.55).

The Loons made a roster move prior to Tuesday's game. Reliever Ralston Cash, who was 3-1 with a 2.84 ERA in 29 appearances, was promoted by the Los Angeles Dodgers to the Double-A Chattanooga Lookouts. Right-handed pitcher Jose De Leon was added to the Loons roster from rookie level Ogden.

De Leon was 5-0 with a 2.65 ERA with Ogden in 10 games, including eight starts. The 22-year-old from Puerto Rico pitched seven shutout innings against Helena in his last start on Aug. 8 and struck out 11 batters. He's scheduled to start for the Loons in Thursday's series finale against the Hot Rods.

Tomorrow night's activities at the ballpark include Hump Day Happy Hour, in which fans 21-over can enjoy drink specials from gates open until one hour after the published game time, as well as Shrek the Musical Night, presented by the Midland Center for the Arts.

The Great Lakes Loons are an eighth-year Single-A partner of the Los Angeles Dodgers. For tickets and more information, call 989-837-BALL or visit loons.com.

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Midwest League Stories from August 12, 2014


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