Loons Prevail For Wild Win
July 2, 2010 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Great Lakes Loons News Release
Jaime Ortiz drove home five runs - including the tying and go-ahead runs in the ninth - and the Great Lakes Loons squandered a 5-1 lead yet managed a wild last inning rally for a 7-6 win in their first game of the series against the Dayton Dragons Thursday night. Ortiz finished the game with five RBIs.
The Loons overcame a two-homer game from Chris Richburg and back-to-back homers by Richburg and Cameron Satterwhite.
Trailing 6-5 in the top of the ninth inning, Gorman Erickson and Bryant Hernandez struck out against Dayton reliever Pedro Villarreal. But Nick Buss singled with two outs and Angelo Songco was hit by a pitch. Then Ortiz hit a sinking line drive to center field. Center fielder Ryan LaMarre slid but couldn't make the catch and it rolled past him for a triple, bringing home the tying and go-ahead runs.
Steve Ames pitched a one-two-three ninth for his first save of the year.
The Loons had to rally despite building a four-run lead after an inning and a half. Trailing 1-0, the Loons scored five times in the second, aided by sloppy Dayton defense and a lack of control by Dragons starter J.C. Sulbaran. With runners at first and third, the Loons tied the game on a stolen base of second by Rafael Ynoa paired with a throwing error by catcher Mark Fleury. Then with Ynoa at second, second baseman Henry Rodriguez threw wildly to third on a sharp grounder up the middle opting for a non-traditional out, allowing Ynoa to score. Later in the inning with the bases loaded, Ortiz doubled to left bringing home three. Of the Loons five second inning runs, just one was earned. The inning also saw a fly ball misplayed in the sun by right fielder Josh Garton, a walk and two hit batsmen.
But the Dragons battled back. They pulled to within three on Frank Pfister's second-inning single, to within two on Richburg's first solo home run and tied the game on Richburg and Satterwhite's consecutive solo shots. The back-to-back homers came on successive pitches.
Dayton then took the lead in the seventh on an RBI single by LaMarre.
It was a rare mediocre outing for Elisaul Pimentel. The Dragons' first five runs and all three home runs came against Pimentel, who snapped a scoreless innings streak in the first inning at 17. It was the first start that he had given up more than one run since May 16, tied for the most runs he had surrendered all year and snapped a six start winning streak. Entering Thursday's game, he had surrendered just one home run all year.
The win was the Loons 23rd comeback win of the year.
Edwin Contreras (2-0) dealt with six base runners in two innings but allowed just one run and was the winning pitcher.
The Loons (47-28 overall, 4-2 second half) and Dragons (31-45, 1-5) continue their series Friday evening. Game time is 7pm ET. Right-hander Josh Wall (3-4, 3.81) will start for the Loons against right-hander Jacob Johnson (4-4, 4.26). The game will be broadcast live on ESPN 100.9-FM and online at Loons.com.
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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