MWL1 Great Lakes Loons

Loons Fall in Heated Battle with South Bend

Published on July 3, 2014 under Midwest League (MWL1)
Great Lakes Loons News Release


MIDLAND, Mich. - On a night when intent was debated at length - and often heatedly - it was a didn't-mean-to hit which caused the most damage.

South Bend's Jamie Westbrook's checked-swing, bloop double in the top of the 10th inning drove in the deciding run in the Silver Hawks' 4-3 win over the Great Lakes Loons. The raucous game, played for a sellout crowd of 5,587 at Dow Diamond, featured five hit batsmen and a benches-clearing near-brawl.

The win completed a three-game sweep of the Loons (6-8 in the second half) by South Bend, which has won 10 of the 12 games played between the two teams this season.

Loons manager Bill Haselman was one of five participants ejected after Loons batter Jesmuel Valentin was hit by a pitch from South Bend reliever Tom Jameson leading off the eighth inning. Valentin and Jameson jawed at each other and both benches emptied. But the events leading up to it happened much earlier; Loons pitchers hit three South Bend batters, while Valentin was the second Loon hit.

South Bend slugger Daniel Palka, who has hit eight homers against the Loons this season, was hit in the batting helmet by a Scott Barlow pitch in the third inning, then again in the fifth. Home plate umpire Kirk Struble eventually warned both teams before Jameson plunked Valentin in the eighth.

"My argument was why they threw Val out," said Haselman. "Both teams had been warned, and then (Jameson) throws the first pitch behind him and hits him with the next pitch.

"I understand payback. We hit some of their guys, not on purpose, so they felt like they had to get even. I'm OK with that, just don't throw out our guy when both teams have already been warned."

Jameson was also ejected, as was South Bend manager Mark Haley and backup infielder Joe Munoz.

Before things finally boiled over, the game featured a three-run inning by each team. The Loons struck for three runs in the second inning, two of which came home on Jose Capellan's two-run single up the middle.

South Bend answered with three runs in the top of the third, a rally which featured an RBI single by Andrew Velazquez and a two-base wild pitch that scored another run.

South Bend's game-winning run in the 10th was set up by a one-out double by Marty Herum off of Loons reliever Luis Araujo. Stryker Trahan then popped out to short for the second out, but Westbrook blooped a ball just fair down the rightfield line when it appeared that he was trying to stop his swing.

Silver Hawks' reliever Will Locante closed out the win by retiring the Loons in order in the bottom of the 10th.Araujo, now 3-1, took his first loss of the season while Bud Jeter (2-2) was the winner in relief for South Bend.

The Loons begin a three-game series tomorrow night in Lansing before returning home on July 8 for first of three games against the Fort Wayne TinCaps. Victor Arano (3-3, 4.42 ERA) will start for the Loons in the opening game of the Lansing series, and will be opposed by Lugnuts lefty Shane Dawson (2-4, 3.54 ERA).

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

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Midwest League Stories from July 3, 2014


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