MWL1 Great Lakes Loons

Great Lakes Drops Rain-Soaked Series Finale

Published on July 26, 2013 under Midwest League (MWL1)
Great Lakes Loons News Release


MIDLAND, Mich. - The Great Lakes Loons (48-56, 21-13) had a chance to tie the Bowling Green Hot Rods (61-41, 23-11) atop the Midwest League Eastern Division with a win, but fell two games back after losing to Bowling Green, 7-3, amongst intermittent rains on Friday night at Dow Diamond.

"(Bowling Green) came in here and played solid baseball," Loons manager Razor Shines said. "They played really well and won two of the three games. Our season isn't over by a long shot. We'll just have to get out early in the day tomorrow and get better."

Cleanup hitter Tyler Ogle got the Loons on the board early in the game when he doubled to deep center field in the bottom of the first inning, scoring Robbie Garvey from first base.

The Hot Rods took the lead back for good with four runs in the top of the second. Bowling Green cleanup hitter Justin O'Conner led off the inning with his 10th home run of the season, tying the game at 1-1. O'Conner's homer was 390 feet to left field and landed outside the stadium. Patrick Leonard, who was 3-for-4 in the game, hit a two-run double down the left field line to drive in Marty Gantt and Joey Rickard. Leonard scored the last run of the frame on an Andrew Toles single.

Jeremy Rathjen hit a solo 380-foot home run to left field in the home half of the second to cut the deficit to 4-2.

Bowling Green added to their lead in both the third and fourth innings, pushing across one run in each frame. Two-hitter Leonardo Reginatto scored on a wild pitch in the third. In the fourth, Rickard reached on a single and stole second base before coming home on a Leonard single.

Loons starting pitcher Brandon Martinez (1-1) went four innings, giving up six runs on seven hits and getting credit for the loss. Martinez struck out three and walked three.

Reinaldo Lopez (6-4) started for the Hot Rods and pitched six solid innings, giving up two runs on five hits to earn the win for Bowling Green. Lopez struck out 10 and walked three.

Rob Rogers, who was added to the Loons roster prior to Friday night's game, entered the game in the fifth for Martinez and pitched three scoreless innings of relief for Great Lakes. Rogers gave up two hits and struck out two over three innings of work in his first professional appearance at the Single-A level after being selected by the Dodgers in the 32nd round of the 2013 MLB Draft out of Keystone College in Pennsylvania.

"I was a little nervous when I first go out there, but after I got the first ball lined right back at me, I kind of calmed down a little bit," Rogers said. "It was a good way to come in. When I walked off after that first inning, I realized that this was the same game that I've been playing my whole life."

Garvey, who was 2-for-5, singled in the seventh to drive in Malcolm Holland, who scored from second to cut their deficit to 6-3.

"They were throwing well. Every one of my at-bats they were throwing strikes. They were getting breaking balls for strikes and fastballs for strikes. They were going off the plate when they wanted to. I just bore down and was able to get a couple hits."

Bowling Green added another run in the eighth to extend their lead back to four runs, with Gantt, who was 2-for-3 with a walk, scoring on a Leonard single.

Crayton Bare pitched two innings of relief for the Loons, giving up one run on two hits, while picking up two strikeouts.

Nick Sawyer threw the last three innings for the Hot Rods, holding Great Lakes to one run on two hits to pick up his fifth save of the season. Sawyer struck out four and walked two.

The Loons open a three-game series against the Lake County Captains (39-61, 16-17) on Saturday night. Game time is 7:05 p.m. Julio Urias (2-0, 2.65 ERA), who is just 16 years old and is the Dodgers No. 4 prospect, is slated to start for Great Lakes. Lake County is expected to counter with Dylan Baker (6-5, 3.62), a 6-foot-2, 215-pound righty. Saturday night is Lou E.'s Big Top Loontacular and Girl Scouts Night. There is a postgame Fireworks Loontacular, powered by Dow Corning.

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Midwest League Stories from July 26, 2013


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