MWL1 Great Lakes Loons

Loons Rust Lugnuts in Rainy Game

Published on June 16, 2012 under Midwest League (MWL1)
Great Lakes Loons News Release


MIDLAND, MI - Despite the constant rain, the Great Lakes Loons (34-35) battled back from a three-run deficit to defeat the Lansing Lugnuts (46-22) by the score of 7-4 Saturday night in front of a sell-out crowd of 5,587 Loons fans in attendance at Dow Diamond.

Trailing 3-0 in the bottom of the sixth, the Loons loaded up the bases with no outs and completed the mid-game rally to take the lead. Loons second baseman Jesus Arredondo hit a single to score catcher Jan Vazquez for the team's first run, and the Loons added two more on sac-flies from Angelo Songco and O'Koyea Dickson, tying the game 3-3.

"I was just trying to understand the situation," Dickson said of his one-out at-bat with runners in scoring position. "That's what I've been working on the past few weeks, just trying to get more RBIs. Tonight it paid off and we got the win."

The Loons took the lead on Scott Schebler's soft single over Lansing's first baseman to score the final run in the inning. All four came against Lugnuts reliever Bryan Longpre, who took the loss, after starter and Midwest League All-Star Justin Nicolino charged out with five scoreless innings, improving his 2012 season ERA to a miniscule 1.21.

Working on the hill for the Loons was Gustavo Gomez, pitching 5.2 innings in which he allowed three runs on four hits. Gomez was relieved in the sixth by Juan Noriega, who limited the Lugnuts to one hit in 2.1 innings of work. Noriega fanned two batters en route to his second win of the season. Matt Shelton and Mike Thomas combined to pitch the final frame. Shelton allowed a run and Thomas picked up his first save.

The Loons added three runs to their total with a slippery production in the eighth inning. Arredondo doubled down the left field line and Dickson was hit by pitch. A force-out followed by an intentional walk loaded the bases before Pedro Guerrero and Vazquez hit a pair of infield RBI singles. The third and final run scored on Vazquez's hit, when Lansing third baseman Gustavo Pierre was charged with a fielding error after struggling to pick up a wet baseball.

The Loons conclude the first half of Midwest League play Sunday at Dow Diamond at 2:05 p.m., hoping to sweep the league's best team in the three-game series. Getting the start is lefty Jarret Martin (2-4, 4.13) against the Lugnuts RHP Aaron Sanchez (6-0, 0.84). The game will be preceded by a Youth Clinic and afterwards kids will have the opportunity to run the bases, courtesy of Farm Bureau Insurance.

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Midwest League Stories from June 16, 2012


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