MWL1 Great Lakes Loons

Loons sweep WhiteCaps with rain-shortened win

Published on August 10, 2009 under Midwest League (MWL1)
Great Lakes Loons News Release


MIDLAND, MI - The Great Lakes Loons feasted on the bullpen of the West Michigan Whitecaps, scoring seven runs in four innings off the ‘Caps pen and rallying for a 7-4 win in a game that was called due to rain after seven complete innings at Dow Diamond. The Loons finished off a four-game sweep of the Whitecaps, won the season series from West Michigan, 10-9, and moved into a tie for second place in the Midwest League Eastern division standings in the second half.

West Michigan scored twice in the first without a run-scoring hit. After three straight singles loaded the bases against Bobby Blevins with one out, Blevins had a chance to escape trouble after striking out Ben Guez for out number two, but both Jordan Lennerton and Billy Nowlin drew walks to force in a pair of runs for the quick 2-0 edge.

Whitecaps starter Casey Crosby left the game after allowing only one hit in three scoreless innings, and the Loons immediately rallied with three runs in the bottom of the fourth inning off Whitecaps hurler Brandon Hamilton, making his first relief appearance after 20 starts in 2009. Hot-hitting Alfredo Silverio led off against Hamilton with a single and scored on a double by Jerry Sands, then with two outs, Matt Wallach walked and both he and Sands touched home plate on a double by Angelo Songco for a 3-2 Loons lead.

Great Lakes padded its lead with a pair of runs in the fifth inning off another reliever, Rob Waite. Anthony Hatch had the first of his two triples on the evening to score a run, and he came home on a double by Wallach for a 5-2 lead.

The Whitecaps pulled within a run during a strange top of the seventh inning. Jordan Pratt came out of the Loons bullpen in relief of Blevins, who pitched six complete innings and gave up only those two first-inning runs on six hits and two walks with four strikeouts. Pratt issued a leadoff walk to Alden Carrithers, then with one out struck out Gustavo Nunez but a wild pitch allowed Nunez to reach and moved Carrithers to third.

With the tying run at the plate in the form of Brent Wyatt, Pratt's first pitch got away and hit Wyatt in the foot to load the bases with one out and bring the go-ahead run to the plate. Pratt was immediately ejected by home plate umpire Brett Terry, as was Loons manager Juan Bustabad, who argued vehemently face-to-face with Terry for several minutes.

Robert Boothe was brought in to replace the ejected Pratt, and he issued back-to-back two-out walks to Lennerton and Nowlin to make it a 5-4 game. The next ‘Caps batter, Avisail Garcia, grounded out to third to end the inning and the Loons escaped the top of the seventh with a one-run lead.

For good measure, the Loons answered with a two spot of their own in the bottom of the seventh. Hatch delivered his second RBI triple in as many at-bats to score Sands and Wallach followed with another base hit to score Hatch and restore a three-run cushion, 7-4.

Before the start of the top of the eighth, the rain that had been falling at a slow clip increased in intensity and the game was stopped and the tarp was put on the field. After a 45-minute delay, the game was called and the Loons claimed the 7-4 win in seven innings.

The Loons are now 17-3 at Dow Diamond in the second half and they continue their current eight-game homestand with the first of four games against the best team in Minor League Baseball, the Fort Wayne TinCaps, on Tuesday night at 7:05 p.m. The Loons tandem of young right-handers Ethan Martin (5-6, 4.13) and Nathan Eovaldi (2-4, 3.18) will both pitch three innings and will oppose former Dodgers' farmhand and current TinCaps' southpaw Mike Watt (6-2, 3.69).

In addition to the usual Tuesday night offering of $1 hot dogs, 16-oz. sodas and ice cream sandwiches as part of Dollar Family Feast Night presented by Chemical Bank, the Loons will honor legendary Dodgers' manager Tommy Lasorda with a special pre-game ceremony prior to the game. Lasorda will also be signing autographs for fans on the concourse prior to the ceremony from 6:00-6:45 p.m.

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Midwest League Stories from August 10, 2009


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