MWL1 Great Lakes Loons

Loons Knuckle Under to Lugnuts

June 10, 2014 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Great Lakes Loons News Release


LANSING, MI - The Great Lakes Loons had plenty of opportunities yet little success squaring off against the Lansing Lugnuts and knuckleball specialist Frank Viola III, falling 9-1 Monday night.

The 29-year-old neophyte knuckleballer returned to affiliated baseball for the first time since 2007, armed with baseball's most perplexing pitch, an offering he has worked to perfect from the likes of R.A. Dickey, Tim Wakefield and Phil Niekro.

Though far from perfect, he managed to keep the Loons from scoring over four innings. Following a 1-2-3 debut top of the first, he stranded the bases loaded in the second and fourth innings and left two on in the third. He mixed a dancing knuckleball ranging from 65-72 mph with a low-to-mid-80s fastball, allowing four hits, four walks and a hit batsman to go along with four strikeouts on approximately 80 pitches.

Loons starter Brandon Martinez countered with four solid innings of his own before experiencing significant troubles in the fifth. After allowing an RBI double to Dickie Joe Thon for the game's first run, D.J. Davis followed with a two-run single that ricocheted off Martinez's glove into shallow right field. Ralston Cash came on and allowed an inherited run to score the inning's fourth run.

Chaz Frank cleared the bases an inning later against Cash with a three-run double, and the rout was on.

The Loons' lone run came in the sixth on an RBI single by Dillon Moyer.

Yefry Del Rosario (1-1) claimed the win with a run allowed in three innings. Brady Dragmire followed with two scoreless innings.

Martinez (1-2) took the loss, and all four fifth inning runs were charged to him.

Moyer finished with two hits, a walk and an RBI. Webster Rivas singled thrice, and Joey Curletta notched a pair of singles. Thon finished the contest with four hits to pace a 15-hit Lugnuts attack.

The Loons begin a six-game homestand prior to the all-star break with the first game of a three-game series Tuesday against the West Michigan Whitecaps, the Detroit Tigers' Single-A affiliate. Right-hander Scott Barlow (1-2, 4.71 ERA) is scheduled to pitch for the Loons against West Michigan righty Chad Green (1-2, 3.44). Tickets are available at Loons.com or 989-837-BALL.

The Great Lakes Loons are an eighth-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.

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Midwest League Stories from June 10, 2014


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