MWL Great Lakes Loons

Loons Sweep Sunday Doubleheader to Take Series

Published on June 27, 2021 under Midwest League (MWL)
Great Lakes Loons News Release


MIDLAND, MI - Entering Sunday's doubleheader locked at two games apiece, the Great Lakes Loons (25-23) narrowed the gap in the East Division, sweeping the Lake County Captains (25-23) in both games. Great Lakes tallied a season-high in runs, defeating Lake County 14-6. Despite trailing by two in the sixth in game two, the Loons rallied to score three unanswered runs to take their fourth series of the year.

Four homeruns highlighted Sunday's first game in a 14-6 win. Ryan Ward hit his eighth HR of the season, and Joe Vranesh tallied his third. In his Loons 2021 debut, Juan Zabala contributed a two-run homer in the fifth inning, finishing with three runs batted in. Justin Yurchak earned his first HR of the year to give the Loons an early lead in game one.

Lake County's Bryan Lavastida hit his third homerun of the series in game one, finishing 3-for-3 with a solo homer and scored twice. Lavastida entered the series on Tuesday with only one homerun in 2021.

Cam Gibbens (W, 1-0) relieved Alec Gamboa for 1 1/3 innings, surrendering his first homerun of the year while striking out two. Mason Hickman (L, 3-3) allowed eight earned runs on five hits, responsible for three of the four Loons longballs in four innings. Hickman entered Sunday with three homeruns in 29 1/3 innings on the year.

Lake County finished 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position, leaving eight men aboard. Great Lakes ended Sunday's first game 8-for-12 with runners in scoring position.

Great Lakes committed three errors in game two, a sharp increase from an errorless game one. Five of Lake County's eight runs scored came unearned, and all eight were scored with two outs. A back-and-forth game began with Lake County scoring two runs in the third, thanks to a two-run hit for Jose Tena. The Loons responded with their second grand slam of the year from Leonel Valera, who's also responsible for the first. A four-pitch walk to Ward with the bases loaded scored the first run, and kept the bases full for Valera's grand slam. Lake County scored five unanswered runs in the fourth and fifth inning, answered by Andy Pages' 15th homerun of the season. The Captains plated their final run in the top of the sixth with a run-scoring double from Raynel Delgado. Great Lakes closed Sunday's second game scoring the final two runs on a two-run, game-tying HR for Ryan January, and James Outman's walk-off single in the bottom of the eighth. It was the first walk-off win for Great Lakes this season.

Jose Martinez surrendered five runs on eight hits in his four-inning start in game two, only two of the runs were earned. Jeff Belge recorded the next two outs, allowing two unearned runs on two hits. Jack Little and Jake Cantleberry combined for the next 2 1/3 innings, walking none and striking out four. Kevin Malisheski (W, 2-0) denied Lake County in the lone extra inning with no walks and two strikeouts. Lake County's Kevin Kelly (L, 1-1) allowed January's game-tying HR, as well as Outman's game-winning RBI single to score Ward from second.

Taking four games of six from Lake County, the Loons force a two-way tie for first place in the High-A Central with Lake County, both two and a half games behind first-place Dayton. Great Lakes leads the season series against the Captains seven games to five after splitting with Lake County at Dow Diamond in mid-May. The remaining twelve matchups between Lake County and Great Lakes will be played at Classic Park, next taking place on July 20.

The Loons head into Monday's off-day with a six-game road trip to Fort Wayne looming. It will be the first matchup of the season between Great Lakes (25-23) and Fort Wayne (22-25), with first pitch at Parkview Field coming at 7:05 P.M. EDT, with coverage on ESPN 100.9 FM beginning at 6:35 P.M.

The Great Lakes Loons have been the Single-A partner of the Los Angeles Dodgers since the team's inception in 2007. Dow Diamond serves as the team's home and also houses the Michigan Baseball Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit public charity, and ESPN 100.9-FM. For tickets or information about the Loons, call 989-837-BALL or visit Loons.com.

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