MWL1 Great Lakes Loons

Loons End Losing Streak with Win over LumberKings

July 18, 2014 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Great Lakes Loons News Release


MIDLAND, Mich. - Once the Great Lakes Loons finally broke the ice Friday, there was no turning back. And this time they were headed in the right direction.

The Loons snapped a 24-inning scoreless streak, but more importantly a six-game losing streak, with a 5-2 win over Clinton before 5,141 fans at Dow Diamond.

The visiting LumberKings posted back-to-back 5-0 wins over the Loons on Wednesday and Thursday, and then took an early 2-0 lead in Friday's conclusion of the three-game series. But Great Lakes broke through for two runs in the bottom of the fifth, then added two more in the seventh, with the big hit being Joey Curletta's tie-breaking double to left.

"I think we just needed to get that first run and then we came alive," said Curletta. "That was the momentum we needed."

The Loons also got two hits and two RBI from Jesmuel Valentin, who made up for an error which cost his team a run in the fourth inning. Starting pitcher Jonathan Martinez battled through six sometimes-arduous innings to give up just one earned run, while relievers Michael Johnson and Victor Araujo combined to pitch three scoreless, hitless innings.

"It was tough (during the losing streak) because on the nights our bats were there we didn't pitch, and on the nights we pitched pretty well the bats weren't there," said Johnson, who earned his second win. "It's nice to put it together again."

The Loons are 12-15 in the Midwest League's second half.

The visiting LumberKings scored single runs in the third and fourth innings before the Loons came to life in the bottom of the fifth. Webster Rivas had a leadoff walk, took second on a wild pitch, and eventually scored on a single by Valentin.

Valentin then took third on a wild pitch and scored on a perfectly executed double steal which saw Alex Santana break for second, drawing a throw from catcher Christian Carmichael, and Valentin sliding under the return throw home.

It remained 2-2 until the bottom of the seventh when Jacob Scavuzzo drew a leadoff walk from Clinton reliever Paul McCoy. Faustino Oguisten bunted Scavuzzo to second, while a wild pitch sent Scavuzzo to third. And, with two outs, Curletta delivered the game-breaking hit to left on a 2-0 count.

McCoy was relieved by lefty Nick Valenza with left-handed batter Paul Hoenecke up next. But Hoenecke, the Loons third baseman, foiled the strategy by lining a hit off the third base bag to drive in Curletta. The Loons added an insurance run in the eighth when Valentin singled home Oguisten.

"It's big to get this win," said Curletta. "We're really going after a (second-half) playoff spot and this will hopefully get us on the right track again."

The Loons begin a three-game series Saturday night against Western Division power Kane County. The Cougars - their division's first-half champion - have the best overall record in the Midwest League. Luis Chrinos will be the Loons starting pitcher; he's 5-4 on the season with a 4.63 ERA. Paul Blackburn (8-2, 2.94 ERA) will start for Kane County.

Tomorrow's activities at the ballpark include Storybook Princess Night, as well as a Fireworks Loontacular powered by Dow Corning.

Check out the Great Lakes Loons Statistics



Midwest League Stories from July 18, 2014


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