MWL1 Great Lakes Loons

Lugnuts Screw up Loons' Night

Published on May 3, 2012 under Midwest League (MWL1)
Great Lakes Loons News Release


MIDLAND, MI - Despite recapturing the lead twice in Thursday night's game at Dow Diamond, the Great Lakes Loons were unable to mount one final comeback against the Lansing Lugnuts, who leveled the series by winning 6-5.

Ahead 5-4 in the seventh inning, the Loons allowed Lansing a pair of leadoff singles that began their final rally. Loons pitcher Juan Noriega registered one out in the frame, but was relieved after 2.1 innings of work. Mike Thomas entered the game needing two outs and ended up with three strikeouts in the inning. The middle strikeout came with a bases-loaded wild pitch that tied the game. A throwing error from third baseman Justin Boudreaux, his third, during the next at-bat advanced the runners and gave the Lugnuts their final run.

Starting out for the Loons, after working out of the bullpen through April, was right-handed pitcher Ryan O'Sullivan. The California-native limited the Lugnuts to one earned run on two hits through four innings, adjusting smoothly into his new role.

"I've started all my life except this year, so it was kind of just getting back in the swing of things and how it used to be." O'Sullivan said after the game. "The biggest difference is your pregame routine and working with a completely different mindset. As a starter you have to come in from the get go and start things off hot."

Inclement weather delayed O'Sullivan's first start by one hour and five minutes. After O'Sullivan, it was Noriega's turn to set the tempo defensively. He entered the game not having allowed a run in the United States, spanning a stretch of 30 innings. But in the fifth inning, the Lugnuts attacked with three straight singles to register his first. A one-out groundball scored another in the inning to give Lansing the 4-3 lead. Noriega was also credited with one of the runs in the seventh, and was charged with the loss (1-1).

The Lugnuts jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the third inning, cashing in on the Loons mistakes. The lead held until the bottom of the fourth, when the Loons pieced together three runs for a 3-2 lead. Down one in the fifth, Scott Schebler hit a deep drive to the right-field corner to score two runs with his fourth triple of the year. The extra-base knock gave the Loons a 5-4 lead that did not hold. Schebler finished with two hits, three RBI and one run.

The Loons (14-13) will host the rubber game of the Mitten Series with the Lansing Lugnuts (19-7) on Friday morning for the second of the Loons three School Kids Days. Loons fans can listen to the game at 10:35 a.m. on ESPN 100.9-fm, when LHP Matt Laney (0-2, 5.40) makes his start for the Loons against RHP Marcus Walden (1-0, 1.82).

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.

Check out the Great Lakes Loons Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



Midwest League Stories from May 3, 2012


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.

OurSports Central