MWL1 Great Lakes Loons

Loons Win Sixth Straight

Published on April 18, 2014 under Midwest League (MWL1)
Great Lakes Loons News Release


APPLETON, WI - Great Lakes Loons starting pitcher Luis Chirinos was far from perfect Friday night. But the veteran right-hander settled down nicely after a rocky start and pitched some key innings in a 7-6 win over the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers.

The Loons have now won six straight and all five on their current Wisconsin road trip.

The Loons jumped out to a 2-0 advantage in the first. Jacob Scavuzzo doubled down the left field line to drive in the team's first score. Brandon Trinkwon later drove in Scavuzzo on an RBI groundout.

But the home team jumped on Chirinos in the bottom of the first with a seven-hit, five-run barrage that included a two-run double by Chris McFarland three batters into the half inning and a deep solo home run by Jose Pena. Wisconsin sent 10 batters to the plate, deflating the Loons' early momentum.

But Chirinos battled through his rough start to pitch four scoreless innings after that, keeping the Loons in the game and saving Great Lakes from using a somewhat thin and depleted bullpen too early in the contest.

His efforts were rewarded in the fifth, when the Loons struck for five unearned runs. Paul Hoenecke tied the score with a bases loaded line drive mishandled by the first baseman Paul Eshleman. One batter later, Joey Curletta singled home the go-ahead run, grounding a shot past the second baseman covering the bag on the play.

Michael Johnson relieved Chirinos and worked a scoreless sixth inning. In the seventh, Eshleman singled in a run to pull Wisconsin to within one.

Victor Araujo, who arrived to the ballpark near game time, debuted with a scoreless eighth inning. In the ninth, Jacob Rhame walked the first batter of the inning, Chris McFarland. He then made an errant pickoff throw sending McFarland to third with no outs. But Rhame retired three straight stranding the runner at third to notch his first save and preserve the victory.

Scavuzzo recorded three hits, drove in two and scored twice. Curletta notched three more hits to improve his league-leading average to .404. Malcolm Holland reached base three more times and stole two more bases. He's now 14-for-14 on the base paths.

The Loons seek their seventh straight win and look to complete a perfect six-game Badger State roadtrip Saturday afternoon in Appleton. Game time is 2:05pm ET. Right-hander Greg Harris (1-0, 4.09 ERA) is scheduled to start for the Loons against righty Zach Quintana (0-0, 4.00). The game will be broadcast live on ESPN 100.9-FM and ESPN1009.com.

The Great Lakes Loons are an eighth-year Single-A partner of the Los Angeles Dodgers. For tickets and more information about the Loons, visit Loons.com, or call 989-837-BALL.

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Midwest League Stories from April 18, 2014


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