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MWL1 Great Lakes Loons

Loons Blast Past South Bend

June 25, 2010 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Great Lakes Loons News Release


MIDLAND, MI - Even though the Loons started the second-half of the season Friday night without the Midwest League's home runs leader Jerry Sands, who was promoted to Double-A over the break, the team collectively found the long ball, offering up 14 hits and three homers for the 11-2 victory over the South Bend Silver Hawks in front of a Dow Diamond record-high attendance of 6,063.

In the second inning, a sacrifice fly by J.T. Wise scored Blake Smith for the Loons first run of the game. Then with runners on the corners, Loons All-Star Rafael Ynoa smashed a 1-0 pitch over the right-field wall to score three and put the Loons ahead 4-1.

The runs continued in the third, when Angelo Songco's leadoff single was followed by an RBI-double from Brian Cavazos-Galvez and Blake Smith's RBI-triple. A pair of solo-homers later in the game by Cavazos-Galvez and first baseman Chris Jacobs lifted the score to 6-2 in favor of the home team.

"The ball was traveling pretty well out there today," right fielder Blake Smith said. "A couple of guys got some backspin on the ball, got it up there and it took off...it was pretty good."

Blake Smith also got the ball ‘up there' for a three-run bomb to center field that rounded out the Loons runs at 11, the most since the team defeated Lansing 10-7 on 5/24.

Loons manager Juan Bustabad was happy with the production of his 2010 Loons team, post-Sands, with many young men rising to the occasion as offensive threats.

"[Smith] has the first shot at batting clean-up and you know [we expect him] to drive in runs and tonight he did that," Bustabad said of his decision to bat Smith fourth.

The cleanup spot was occupied by Jerry Sands for 63 of the Loons first-half games and Smith was handed the baton in the first game of the second-half. While it says a lot about what the coaches think of Smith, the 22-year-old recognizes the quality of the player that used to be there.

"I don't think those shoes can be filled," Smith said. "I'll try my best and try to get the job done, but no pressure. That's the thing about this team, we have so many good hitters, it really doesn't matter where you're at in the line-up...because the guys behind you will pick you up."

Smith finished the night going 3-for-5 with three runs and two RBI. Ynoa also had three hits, while Songco, Cavazos-Galvez and Jaime Ortiz each recorded two hits. The Loons four home runs ties a season-high set on 5/2 against the Lake County Captains.

Starting pitcher Josh Wall (3-4, 3.81) found himself in a one-out jam in the second inning after surrendering the game's first run to Alberto Diaz, who ripped a triple to center to get on base and then was driven in by Ramon Castillo's double. Wall walked left fielder Andrew Fie and gave up a single to Tyson Van Winkle to load the bases.

"Obviously I didn't want to give up any runs there," Wall said of the situation. "I had already given up one and got myself in a little jam and I was just trying to make quality pitches. I had to put some extra stuff on there, trying to make sure I got those hitters out."

The 23-year-old remained calm and then struck out the next two batters to avoid major trouble, and was followed by a pitcher's best friend-run support.

"It was awesome," Wall said of his teammates help. "It's such a big relief when you go in there and your team puts up four...it makes it very easy on my part to do my job."

Wall collected 10 strikeouts over six innings of work for his third win of the season, allowing two runs on five hits, his second run coming on a solo-homer by South Bend's Andrew Fie. Loons reliever Andy Suiter pitched three hitless innings to improve his 2010 ERA to 3.65, fanning four along the way.

The Loons went 12-0 against the S-Hawks in the first-half of the season and continued their winning ways, moving to 27-2 against South Bend since the beginning of the 2009 season.

1,000,000: Dow Diamond hosted its one-millionth fan on Friday night, Sue Merry of Sanford, and to celebrate the occasion, the Loons held a pre-game ceremony on the field and awarded the fan with a diamond valued at over $5,000 courtesy of the Dow Chemical Company, as well as a commemorative one-millionth fan jersey.

Game 2: The Loons will play game two of their three-game series against the Silver Hawks on Saturday and will send RHP Brett Wallach (4-0, 3.93) to the hill against RHP Brad Gemberling (1-4, 4.38). First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m., following the game will be a Fireworks Loontacular powered by Dow Corning.

The Great Lakes Loons are a fourth-year Single-A partner of the Los Angeles Dodgers and members of the Midwest League. For more information about the Loons, visit Loons.com or call 989-837-BALL.

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