Hawks Fly Past Loons 12-5 to Sweep Series

May 10, 2014 - Midwest League (MWL1)
South Bend Silver Hawks News Release


The South Bend Silver Hawks (20-16) completed a three-game sweep of the Great Lakes Loons (16-20) with another offensive outburst as the Hawks took home a 12-5 victory on Saturday night at Four Winds Field. Great Lakes starters struggled all series long, allowing 19 runs in just 8 innings pitched over the three games. First baseman Daniel Palka led the Hawks onslaught with a double, triple, and three RBIs.

Great Lakes, the Class-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers, got on the board first with two runs in the top of the first inning. South Bend starter Braden Shipley (W, 2-2) retired the first two hitters he faced before walking catcher Kyle Farmer. Third baseman Paul Hoenecke then ripped a triple down the right-field line to give the Loons a 1-0 lead. Right fielder Joey Curletta made the score 2-0 with a long double to the center field wall that plated Hoenecke. Shipley got out of the inning by retiring Josmar Cordero on a grounder to first.

Just like the first game of the series, the Hawks responded in the bottom of the first inning. Shortstop Andrew Velazquez led off with a double to left. Second baseman Jamie Westbrook walked and ball four was a wild pitch that moved Velazquez to third. Designated hitter Joe Munoz walked to load the bases with no outs. Loons starter Greg Harris (2-4) struck out Palka for the first out of the inning but third baseman George Roberts came through with a two run single to right that tied the game at 2-2. With left fielder Stryker Trahan at the plate, Harris unleashed another wild pitch that scored Munoz from third for a 3-2 Hawks lead.

South Bend, the Class-A affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks, put up four runs in the bottom of the second to extend the lead to 7-2. Harris struck out the first two batters of the inning. Velazquez gave the Hawks a 4-2 lead with a solo homer to right field on a 1-2 offering from Harris. Westbrook followed with a double down the left-field line and then advanced to third on a passed ball. Munoz walked for the second time in the game to put runners at the corners. Palka then crushed a triple to dead center field that scored both runners and made it 6-2. That knocked Harris out of the game and brought Victor Araujo into the game. Araujo let loose a wild pitch that scored Palka for the seventh South Bend run of the game before retiring Roberts to end the inning.

The Loons got one run back in the top of the fifth inning. Second baseman Brandon Trinkwon led off with an infield single to short. After Shipley retired the next two hitters, Trinkwon stole second base. Center fielder Malcolm Holland lined a single to right that scored Trinkwon and cut the lead to 7-3.

That was as close as it got as the Hawks scored four more runs in the bottom of the fifth inning. Munoz led off the inning against new Loons pitcher Scott Barlow with a double to center. Palka followed with a double to left that made it 8-3. Roberts then struck out swinging but advanced to third on a wild pitch as Palka moved over to third. Barlow struck out the next two batters before hitting right fielder Zach Esquerra with a pitch to load the bases. Center fielder Breland Almadova lined a single to left that scored Palka and Roberts. The left fielder threw home and the ball went into the dugout, allowing Esquerra to also score on the play while Almadova moved up to third.

The Loons scored two runs in the top of the sixth inning to cut the lead to 11-5. Hoenecke laced a one out double to center and Curletta followed with a line drive single to center that put runners at the corners with one out. Cordero then hit a double play ball to second that was booted by Westbrook. Hoenecke scored on the play and runners were at first and second with one out and the score was 11-4. Johnny Shuttlesworth came into the game in place of Shipley. He got Trinkwon to hit a double play ball to short but Westbrook threw wide of first on the relay, allowing Curletta to come home on the throwing error. Shuttlesworth then struck out Rivas to end the inning at 11-5.

The Hawks put up the last run of the game in the bottom of the eighth inning. Esquerra led off against Barlow by drawing a walk. After a wild pitch advanced Esquerra to second, Almadova singled to center, putting runners at the corners. Barlow got Velazquez to pop out to third in foul territory. Barlow seemed to take exception to Almadova trying to steal second on a fouled off 2-2 pitch and just missed plunking Westbrook with his next offering. He was immediately ejected by the home plate umpire and Loons manager Bill Haselman soon joined him on the way to an early exit as he came out for a furious argument. Trinkwon eventually moved over from second base to take over on the mound as Jesmuel Valentin came in to play second base. Trinkwon did well in his short relief outing as he got Munoz to hit into a 3-6 fielder's choice, scoring Esquerra for the final run of the game. He then got Palka to fly out to left to end the inning. Will Locante came in to pitch the ninth for the Hawks and he threw a 1-2-3 ninth, striking out Hoenecke swinging to end the game and complete the sweep.

The Silver Hawks will be off on Sunday to spend the day with their mothers. They return to action on Monday May 12 for three games against the Dayton Dragons, Class-A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds. Blake Perry (1-2, 4.28) will start the first game in Dayton. The Hawks return to Four Winds Field on Thursday May 15 at 7:05 pm, to begin a four game series against their cross-state rivals, the Fort Wayne TinCaps. The TinCaps are the Class-A affiliate of the San Diego Padres. May 15 will be a Thirsty Thursday: enjoy 22 oz sodas and 16 oz beers for $2 all night long. Thirsty Thursday is presented by Budweiser, Pepsi and 103.9 The Bear.



Midwest League Stories from May 10, 2014


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