Sports stats



MWL1 Great Lakes Loons

Loons Drop Series to Hot Rods

August 26, 2015 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Great Lakes Loons News Release


MIDLAND, Mich. - The Great Lakes Loons contended closely with the Bowling Green Hot Rods during the final game the two teams will play this season. But the Loons could not keep pace with the surging Hot Rods offense down the stretch. Bowling Green (65-42) scored four runs during the top of the 4th inning and outlasted the Loons 6-4 on Wednesday night at Dow Diamond.

The Loons dropped to 62-63 on the season with less than two weeks until the first round of the 2015 Midwest League playoffs - a stage Great Lakes earned a spot on thanks to an extraordinary first-half performance.

"We didn't quite have it right away tonight," said outfielder Brian Wolfe. "But we didn't just roll over. We came back. We had some really good swings. You have to give (Bowling Green) credit. We know we have ability so we don't panic."

The teams went back-and-forth during the middle innings with the Hot Rods getting on the scoreboard first during the top of the 2nd inning thanks to a pair of two-out base hits.

Designated hitter Mac James worked a walk to keep the inning alive and third baseman Grant Kay ripped a double down the right-field line to give Bowling Green its first base hit of the evening and put his team up 1-0. Centerfielder Thomas Milone notched an RBI base hit to left field one batter later and the Hot Rods took a 2-0 advantage.

The home team came storming back during the bottom of the frame thanks to some two-out hitting of its own.

Right fielder Nick Sell managed a one-out walk before scoring on a towering fly ball through the left centerfield gap by Justin Chigbogu to cut Bowling Green's lead to 2-1. Chigbogu was able to score thanks to a bloop single by shortstop Nick Dean that fell at the feet of Milone in centerfield.

The Hot Rods grabbed a slim lead once again during the top of the 4th inning on a solo line-drive home run by first baseman Carter Burgess. It was the first home run hit by Burgess this season and gave the visitors a 3-2 lead.

Later in the inning, Milone notched his second RBI of the day on another two out line drive past the outstretched glove of a diving Chigbogu, and Bowling Green took a 4-2 lead.

After Loons starter Andrew Sopko left the game, Hot Rods second baseman Riley Unroe broke the game open with a 341-foot two-run homerun to right field, putting Great Lakes in a 6-2 hole.

The Loons plated two runs during the bottom of the 7th inning thanks to a pair of wild pitches, but failed to tie the game.

Left fielder Brian Wolfe extended his hitting streak to 15 consecutive games with a double in the 7th inning, keeping the fourth longest hitting streak in team history intact.

Sopko (1-1) took the loss while Henry Centeno (8-7) earned the victory for the Hot Rods on the mound. Edgar Gomez came on in the bottom of the 9th inning for the victors and earned his sixth save of the season.

The Loons head to South Bend for a three-game set this weekend before returning to Midland on Sunday, when the West Michigan Whitecaps come to town.

Kids eat free at Dow Diamond every Sunday courtesy of Soaring Eagle Water Park and Hotel. After the game, Kids can run the bases thanks to Farm Bureau Insurance.

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

Check out the Great Lakes Loons Statistics



Midwest League Stories from August 26, 2015


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central