MWL1 Great Lakes Loons

Loons Rout Hot Rods Before Largest Crowd of Season

Published on August 14, 2014 under Midwest League (MWL1)
Great Lakes Loons News Release


MIDLAND, Mich. - The Great Lakes Loons cashed in an I.O.U. on Thursday.

Two night after giving up six first-inning runs in a 12-6 loss to Bowling Green, the Loons one-upped that by scoring eight runs in their first at-bat and cruised to a 12-1 win over the Hot Rods in front of the biggest crowd (6,041) of the season at Dow Diamond.

The Loons sent 12 batters to the plate in the first inning as Bowling Green starter D.J. Slaton got just one out before being given an early exit by manager Michael Johns. That provided plenty of support for Loons starter Jose De Leon, who was making his first appearance with the team since being called up from Ogden on Monday.

Not that De Leon needed much help. The right-hander from Puerto Rico pitched six strong innings, allowing just three hits while striking out seven batters. He'd struck out 77 batters in 54 1/3 innings at Ogden.

"He was outstanding," said Loons manager Bill Haselman. "His tempo was great, he located the ball really well and he threw strikes. We're very pleased with that."

Besides a fifth-inning homer by the Hot Rods' James Harris, the only other difficulty De Leon encountered was waiting out the Loons' much longer than normal first inning explosion.

"You get in a certain rhythm and sometimes it's tough getting it back when you sit that long," De Leon said. "It was a little cooler than in Ogden, so I kind of had to get a sweat going again. I threw a little extra between innings."

Then again, De Leon - and any pitcher - would gladly take the run support the Loons provided Thursday.

Slaton walked the Loons first two batters, Brandon Trinkwon and Malcolm Holland, got an out, and then walked Paul Hoenecke to load the bases. No. 5 hitter Joey Curletta then hit a shot past Hot Rods' shortstop Willy Adames which scored two runs. Webster Rivas followed with a double to make it 3-0, and Josmar Cordero blooped a single to right for a fourth run.

After Jacob Scavuzzo was hit by a pitch, Spencer Navin singled in another run and Slaton was replaced by Josh Kimborowicz. Then, with the bases loaded, Trinkwon fouled off several pitches in an epic at-bat before hitting a bases-clearing double down the right field line.

"In a situation like that, I'm just trying to put the ball in play somehow," said Trinkwon, who finished with six RBI in the three-game series. "I'm not even necessarily trying to get a hit. But he made a lot of good pitches and I was just lucky enough to foul them off."

The Loons made it 9-0 in the second inning on a long home run just to the right of dead center by Rivas. Valentin had a two-run double in the fifth to make it 11-1, and Curletta put an exclamation point on things with a 412-foot homer to left centerfield in the sixth inning.

Luis De Paula, who re-joined the Loons after a long stint on the disabled list, pitched the final three innings to pick up his first save of the season.

With the win, the Loons moved back into a tie with Dayton for the second of two available Midwest League Eastern Division playoff spots. Dayton lost Thursday to Lake County, which now leads the Loons and Dragon by a game and a half.

The Loons filled two open roster spots prior to Thursday's game. Right-handed pitcher John Richy, who was the No. 3 pick by the Los Angeles Dodgers in this summer's MLB draft, and lefty Luis De Paula were in uniform Thursday. De Paula appeared in six games with the Loons - including three starts - earlier in the season before being sidelined with an arm injury.

The Loons begin a three-game series with Detroit Tigers-affiliate West Michigan on Friday night (7:05). Right-handed pitcher Brandon Martinez (1-7, 4.34 ERA) will start for the Loons, while the Whitecaps will counter with righty Jonathan Maciel (5-6, 4.11). West Michigan has already clinched a playoff spot by virtue of winning the Eastern Division first-half championship.

Tomorrow will feature the popular Cowboy Monkey Rodeo at Dow Diamond. Traveling entertainer Tim Lepard and his sheep-herding, dog-riding Capuchin monkeys will provide two between-innings segments, as well as a full show after the game.

Check out the Great Lakes Loons Statistics

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Midwest League Stories from August 14, 2014


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