MWL1 Great Lakes Loons

Loons Figure out Nuno for 5-2 Win

Published on September 2, 2010 under Midwest League (MWL1)
Great Lakes Loons News Release


MIDLAND, MI - The Great Lakes Loons pieced together a five-run sixth inning to outscore the Lake County Captains 5-2 in front of 4,227 fans Thursday night at Dow Diamond. The win gives the Loons the best record in the Midwest League for the 2010 regular season, currently at 87-48 with still four games to go. Also, due to the West Michigan Whitecaps 6-2 loss to Lansing, the Great Lakes Loons are now officially scheduled to play the Fort Wayne TinCaps in the first round of the Midwest League's postseason, which begins Wednesday, September 8.

Lake County's starting pitcher Vidal Nuno gave the Loons trouble early in the game, holding Great Lakes scoreless through five innings with only one hit, as he offered the Loons a different look than his previous two meetings with the team.

"He just mixed it up a little differently than last time," Loons outfielder Blake Smith said. "We were looking for that big slider he threw to us a lot and he wasn't throwing it. He was throwing a hard slider and a fastball."

The Loons caught on though, altered their approach, and were finally able to touch Nuno in the sixth. Nick Buss found the first hit of the inning, a double to right, to move catcher Gorman Erickson to third after he reached base on a hit by pitch. A grounder and a sacrifice-fly scored the two runners to tie the game 2-2.

Even with two outs and no one on base, the Loons weren't done with the inning and Smith doubled to left field to start another rally. Angelo Songco grounded the ball past a diving Kyle Smith for an RBI-single that put the Loons up one. Second baseman Joe Becker followed up with a streaking double down the left field line which reached the corner and put Songco on third. Nuno's night was finished.

Captains reliever Jeremy Johnson took over and pitched Brian Ruggiano into a liner to right field that was nearly caught by Greg Folgia, who dove and knocked it down. But two runs scored on the throw in, putting the Loons up 5-1. The Captains tacked on a run in the ninth on a double-play grounder, but that was all they were granted before Loons reliever Luis Vasquez pitched Ben Carlson into a line-out snagged by a leaping Ruggiano at third.

"Fortunately we've had those big innings and our defense and pitching has been able to keep the lead that we get," Smith said, who finished two-for-four. "Hopefully we can just continue that on."

Right-handed pitcher Allen Webster (12-9, 2.88) started on the mound for the Loons and limited the Captains to one run on three hits over six innings to pick up his league-leading 12th win of the season. Andy Suiter pitched a hitless two innings before Vasquez closed it out.

The Loons will try for the sweep over the Lake County Captains on Friday with LHP Greg Wilborn (4-2, 2.94) starting for Great Lakes against the Captains RHP Brett Brach (5-8, 3.35). The world-famous inflatable entertainers, the Zooperstars, will be performing during Friday night's contest. Alex Frogriguez, Roger Clamens, Harry Canary, and all of the other favorites will be on hand to mess with unsuspecting umpires and bat boys.

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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Midwest League Stories from September 2, 2010


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