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MWL1 Great Lakes Loons

Lansing Rally Spoils Loons Opener

April 11, 2010 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Great Lakes Loons News Release


MIDLAND, MI - After a successful Opening Day parade through downtown Midland, the record-high 5,723 in attendance packed Dow Diamond in hopes of seeing the Loons continue their success from the road last week in South Bend. Unfortunately, the Loons cooled off late in the game and were defeated by Lansing, 10-8.

The Loons got off to a comfortable start and once led 7-1, but the momentum shifted in the seventh inning when starting pitcher William Savage gave up a home run to Lansing third baseman Mark Sobolewski.

The following at-bat allowed Jon Talley to reach base on a fielding error by Pedro Guerrero, beginning Lansing's nine-run rally over the next two innings.

"We had a nice lead going into the seventh inning, unfortunately we got an error and everything just opened up," Loons manager Juan Bustabad said. "They started hitting the ball, you've got to give credit to Lansing, they had 14 hits. I'll take my chances winning 7-1 with nine outs to go anytime, but the pitching didn't come through late in the game tonight."

Savage made the first start of his minor league career Sunday for the Loons, fanning four and allowing two earned runs over 6.2 innings of work. The 25-year-old righty was pulled from the game after Kevin Nolan's double brought in Lansing's fourth run of the inning.

"I didn't really ‘run out of gas'," Savage said after the game. "I left a few balls up in the zone, [Sobolewski's] home run was definitely straight down the middle and up, but they jumped on my mistakes and then we had a couple blunders in the infield, but other than that our team played a great defense behind me."

Relievers Nick Gaudi and Justin Miller pitched the final 2.1 innings that brought 14 batters to the plate. The two surrendered a combined five runs and Gaudi was credited with the loss and blown save.

The Loons were cruising prior to the seventh, benefiting from DH Chris Jacobs' three-run homer in the fifth and returning Loons first baseman Jerry Sands' two-run bomb in the sixth.

"It was Opening Day, I was wanting to do something for the crowd and get ‘em on my side, get ‘em cheering," Jacobs said of his home run. "I closed myself off and was looking for a pitch away. When the pitcher threw me a fastball away, I was able to put my bat on it and it went over the fence for me."

Starting on the mound for Lansing was Chad Jenkins, the Toronto Blue Jays number one draft pick from 2009. Jenkins recorded two more strikeouts after Jacobs' homer in the fifth, to bring his K-count to four on the day over five innings. Relievers Nestor Molina, Brian Slover and Steve Turnbull closed it out for the Lugnuts. Molina received his first win of 2010 and Turnbull notched the save.

Offensively, six of Lansing's players finished with multi-hit outings. Nolan went 2-for-5 and led the team with three RBI.

"It's kind of disappointing," Jacobs said of the loss. "We kind of feel like we let down the home crowd on opening day. We felt like we had it going there, but that's just the luck of baseball; one bad play here, one good swing from them, and they score five runs, but it's alright, we'll find a way to get'em tomorrow."

Monday night, the Great Lakes Loons will try to return the favor in game two of their series with Lansing. On the mound for the Loons will be Elisaul Pimentel, while Ryan Tepera will throw for the Lugnuts. Monday is also Nouvel Catholic Central High School Spirit Night. First pitch is set for 6:05 p.m. Tickets are available at Loons.com or by calling 989.837.BALL.

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