MWL1 Great Lakes Loons

Loons Win Heated Game Three

Published on May 18, 2012 under Midwest League (MWL1)
Great Lakes Loons News Release


MIDLAND, MI - In the heated finale of Great Lakes' three-game series against the Whitecaps, the Loons won 3-2 Friday morning on School Kids Day at Dow Diamond, which hosted 5,130 young fans.

The Loons led off the third inning with two strong singles from Scott Schebler and Delvis Morales, followed by a well-executed bunt single from James Baldwin up the third-base line to load the bases with Loons. With no outs, outfielder Noel Cuevas grounded into a double play, temporarily scoring Schebler from third. Umpires John Burzynski and Dustin Klinghagen ruled that Baldwin was out of line and called runner's interference on the play, which Loons manager John Shoemaker contested.

"Baldwin did not do anything wrong," Shoemaker said after the game. "He played a hard baseball slide and tried to break up a double-play. He was well within the reach of touching second base, and that's what the rule [allows]. Unfortunately their second baseman got clipped on the ankle and they took a little offense to it and thought it was a dirty play."

Because the double-play was turned successfully, the umpires called Morales and Schebler back to second and third, taking the Loons run off the board. On the call, Shoemaker exchanged words with Burzynski before being ejected from the game. The Loons got the run back in the inning when Joe Winker slapped a single to right field, scoring a pair.

In the fifth inning, tensions escalated when Whitecaps pitcher Marcelo Carreno sent a pitch behind the back of Baldwin at the plate. Baldwin pointed his bat towards the mound and began to approach, but then thought better of it. Meanwhile, the West Michigan bench cleared, but Razor Shines helped cool down any chance of the Loons doing likewise. Carreno was given a warning and that was the end of it.

"It's something that happens a lot in baseball," Shoemaker said. "If one team feels like [the other has] done something wrong to hurt one of their players, they try to retaliate at some point."

Shoemaker expressed shock after the game that Carreno was not ejected for his wild pitch. Nevertheless, the Whitecap continued by walking Baldwin to put runners on first and second. Cuevas followed with a single to right field that scored the Loons final run. Leading the team offensively was catcher Jan Vazquez, Schebler and return Loon Delvis Morales: each with two hits.

Starting on the hill for the Loons was Jose Dominguez, who continued his domination at Dow Diamond. In 21.2 innings at home, Dominguez is holding batters to a .137 average, while his ERA sits at a miniscule 0.83. In the game, he scattered four hits across six innings, limiting West Michigan to one run. He struck out two and walked three to earn his second win of the season and his first as a starter for the Loons.

Reliever Mike Thomas pitched two innings, allowing one only one hit and one run, though unearned, that cut the Loons lead to one. Yimi Garcia entered in the top of the ninth and retired the side to collect his sixth save of the year.

The Loons improve to 22-20 and pick up the series win, their second consecutive Mitten Series victory at home since taking two-of-three from Lansing earlier in the month. The Loons hit the road over the weekend for a three-game set with the Dayton Dragons, before returning to Dow Diamond on May 23 to begin a seven-game homestand. That Wednesday marks the first night of the Loons Red Wings Legends Series, presented by MidMichigan Health. The first 1,000 fans to the park will receive Dino Ciccarelli bobbleheads; gates open at 6:00 p.m.

The Great Lakes Loons are a sixth-year Single-A partner of the Los Angeles Dodgers and are in the middle of their 5th Anniversary Celebration, which kicked off in August 2011 and will continue throughout the 2012 season. For more information about the Loons, visit Loons.com or call 989-837-BALL.

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Midwest League Stories from May 18, 2012


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