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MWL1 Great Lakes Loons

Loons Outlast Error-Prone Lugnuts in 12, 5-3

July 3, 2009 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Great Lakes Loons News Release


MIDLAND, Mich. - After failing earlier in the at-bat to lay down a bunt, Dee Gordon cracked a game-winning two-run homer in bottom of the twelfth inning, catapulting the Great Lakes Loons (4-4; 44-34) to a 5-3 victory over the Lansing Lugnuts (3-5; 29-48) on Friday night at Dow Diamond.

The Lugnuts committed five errors, leading to a pair of costly unearned runs, in falling to 0-6 in 2009 in extra-innings contests.

Matt Wallach opened the twelfth with a slicing fly ball down the left field line off of Dustin Antolin (0-2) that bounced into and out of the glove of Brian Van Kirk. It was ruled a double, bringing up Gordon. After fouling off a pair of bunt attempts, the Great Lakes shortstop drilled a 3-2 pitch over the wall in right-center for his second home run of the season.

Robert Boothe (1-3) earned the victory with a perfect top half of the frame.

The blow by Gordon capped off a roller coaster affair in front of the largest crowd ever at Dow Diamond.

A.J. Jimenez's first career home run, a three-run shot with two outs in the seventh, had given the Lugnuts a surprising 3-1 lead in the top of the seventh inning.

But the Loons struck back in the bottom of the ninth against Lansing closer Matt Daly. Johermyn Chavez's two-base error on Alfredo Silverio's single allowed pinch-runner Parker Dalton to score, cutting the deficit to 3-2. Pinch-hitter Wallach followed with by grounding an RBI single through a drawn-in infield to hand Daly only his second blown save of the season.

The Lugnuts' standout right-hander responded, striking out six of the next seven batters in holding the Loons scoreless through the end of the eleventh inning.

Lansing heads home for Independence Day, welcoming in the South Bend Silver Hawks for a 7:05 p.m. Saturday night affair to start a four-game series. Lugnuts right-hander Chase Lirette (3-0, 1.87) receives the start against the Silver Hawks' southpaw Taylor Sinclair (2-3, 3.75).

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