
Loons Tally Four Runs in Tenth, Triumph 8-4 in Extras
May 12, 2023 - Midwest League (MWL)
Great Lakes Loons News Release
Eastlake, Ohio. - The Great Lakes Loons (20-11) exploded for their biggest inning, a four-run top of the tenth to sink the Lake County Captains (16-14) 8-4 on a 71-degree overcast Friday night at Classic Park.
In the tenth, Great Lakes matched their run total through the first nine innings. With Dalton Rushing starting the frame on second Damon Keith and Alex Freeland hit back-to-back singles, Freeland's making it 5-4. A Taylor Young sacrifice fly plated Keith, and then Griffin Lockwood-Powell throttled a 2-1 pitch over the right field wall, to bring the score to 8-4. Lockwood-Powell's second homer this year.
Antonio Knowles in the bottom of the tenth, struck out two to earn his second win of the season.
After just one baserunner through the first two innings, the Loons offense had the first four reach in the top of the third. Jake Vogel reached on an error, and Frank Rodriguez, in his first at-bat at the High-A level sent a single to center field.
The two Midwest League leaders in on-base percentage entering the game, Austin Gauthier and Dalton Rushing followed. Gauthier plated Vogel with an RBI double to right field, and Rushing slashed an infield single that scored Rodriguez. Gauthier and Rushing, with two outs in the inning, executed a double steal, which forced a throw to second base, that was whipped into centerfield. Gauthier easily advanced home. It was a three-run top of the third for Great Lakes.
Ronan Kopp threw the first three innings. The left-hander struck out three consecutive batters, each on four pitches, after allowing the leadoff batter to reach on a single in the first. Two walks, helped Lake County push across a run in the third. Jake Fox singled to right field, with two on. Fox was picked off later in the inning by Kopp, who got a groundout to end the frame. The 20-year-old stranded a runner in each inning pitched.
In the middle innings, offenses were kept quiet. Juan Zapata of the Captains struck out seven across the three innings. Michael Hobbs, had an eight-pitch fourth inning, working around an error. Robbie Peto, retired six of the first seven batters he faced, striking out two in the sixth.
The Captains tallied three to take a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the seventh. Peto walked the first two he saw and then permitted a single to right field from Christian Cairo. Victor Planchart scored, and after an awkward deflection that spun the ball toward centerfield, Dayan Frias tried to score. He was thrown out at the plate.
Cairo moved to second after the throw home, stole third, and then sprinted home after Jake Fox's second RBI single of the game. A third walk put two runners on. Jorge Burgos delivered the dagger with a RBI single to right, the inning ended after Burgos was thrown out trying to reach second base. Christian Suarez finished the frame, and all three runs were charged to Peto.
In the top of the eighth, Great Lakes finally pushed Juan Zabata out of the game. Damon Keith singled, Alex Freeland walked, and then Taylor Young sliced a 1-1 pitch to right field, scoring Keith and knotting up the score at four. Franco Aleman got the required next three outs, with the Loons stranding Freeland and Young in scoring position. Jake Vogel struck out after an eight-pitch battle.
Christian Suarez needed just six pitches for a 1-2-3 bottom of the eighth. Franco Aleman did the same, against 9-1-2 in the Loons order, the right-hander struck out four in two completed innings.
The bottom of the ninth saw two Captains reach with two outs ending Suarez's night, two scoreless. Antonio Knowles generated the third out, a flyout to centerfield to bring the game into extras. Franco Aleman pitched the tenth, where he permitted four runs, three earned.
Three of the first four have gone to Great Lakes, who look for a series win tomorrow Saturday, May 13th, at Classic Park. The first pitch is at 6:35 p.m.com.
Midwest League Stories from May 12, 2023
- Errors Hamper Cubs as Rattlers Roll 10-6 - South Bend Cubs
- Rattlers Reach Ten Runs for Win Over South Bend - Wisconsin Timber Rattlers
- Chiefs Fall to Dayton Despite Hence's Return to Mound - Peoria Chiefs
- Kernels Shut Out Bandits 1-0 - Quad Cities River Bandits
- Dragons Edge Chiefs 3-1 as Trautwein Blasts Another Home Run - Dayton Dragons
- Loons Tally Four Runs in Tenth, Triumph 8-4 in Extras - Great Lakes Loons
- Weather Suspends Friday Night's Game, Doubleheader Set for Saturday - Fort Wayne TinCaps
- TinCaps Game Information: May 12 vs. Beloit Sky Carp - Fort Wayne TinCaps
- Whitecaps Double-Up 'Lugs, 10-5 - West Michigan Whitecaps
- Wisconsin Timber Rattlers Homestand Highlights: May 16-21 - Wisconsin Timber Rattlers
- Dayton Dragons GameDay Notes for Friday (7:35 PM EDT at Peoria) - Dayton Dragons
- South Bend Cubs and Jordan Automotive to Offer Michiana Area Teachers Free Tickets - South Bend Cubs
- Cavaco Placed on 7- Day IL, Fedko Activated off Development List - Cedar Rapids Kernels
- Four-Run Second Inning, Loons' Runners Left On-Base Snap Captains' Three-Game Losing Skid - Lake County Captains
- 'Caps Fall on Thursday, 4-2 - West Michigan Whitecaps
- Late Homer Propels Rattlers Over Cubs 3-1 - South Bend Cubs
- Quad Cities and Cedar Rapids Split Doubleheader - Quad Cities River Bandits
- Three Peoria Pitchers Combine to Blank Dayton - Peoria Chiefs
- Fernández Hit Late Homer to Send Rattlers to Victory - Wisconsin Timber Rattlers
- Chiefs Shut Out Dragons 6-0 On Thursday In Peoria - Dayton Dragons
- Fort Wayne Earns 9-5 Comeback Win - Fort Wayne TinCaps
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
Other Recent Great Lakes Loons Stories
- Loons Take Series, Defeat Dragons 7-2 on Mother's Day
- Loons Decimate Dragons 13-5, de Paula Homers Twice
- Dayton's Edgington K's 13, Dragons Defeat Loons 9-4
- Dragons Walk-Off Loons on Wild Pitch
- Four-Run Ninth and Copen's 12 Strikeouts Deliver Epic Loons Comeback 4-3 Win

