MWL Great Lakes Loons

Lugnuts Walk off Loons in Saturday Thriller, 6-5

Published on June 19, 2021 under Midwest League (MWL)
Great Lakes Loons News Release


LANSING, MI - The Great Lakes Loons (20-21) were overcome by a Lansing Lugnuts (20-21) rally Saturday night at Jackson Field for a 6-5 loss, as the Lugs forced an extra inning with a Shane Selman game-tying homerun in the bottom of the ninth. Great Lakes tallied ten hits to Lansing's five, and were 14-3 entering Saturday's game when doing so. Loons infielder Deacon Liput swatted his first homerun of the season with a two-run shot in the fourth, finishing 2-for-5 with the two runs batted in. Jesus Vargas allowed two earned runs on two hits in four innings, walking two and striking out four. GL pitchers combined to waive 11 Lugnuts batters on strikes and allowing four walks.

On top of their favorable record when outhitting their opponent, the Loons entered Saturday 18-7 when beating their opponent to the scoreboard first, which they did again Saturday. Following a two-out single from Ryan Ward, Leonel Valera knocked his fifth triple of the season to easily score Ward from first. The triple for Valera ties him with James Outman and Beloit's Ricky Aracena for most in the High-A Central, as well as across the rest of professional baseball, with five. Four Great Lakes batters contributed a multi-hit night with Ward, Justin Yurchak, Zac Ching and Liput. In five games for Yurchak, he's compiled a team-high 10 hits in 21 at-bats, more than doubling his four hits in all of the month of May. Yurchak is averaging a .386 at the plate in 13 games in June for Great Lakes. Ward isn't far behind with nine hits in the Lansing series, improving his team-best batting average to a .295 in 33 games this season. The on-base percentage increases for Ward, who has reached base in all but one of his ten games this month.

Clayton Beeter totaled two innings of scoreless work, allowing one hit while striking out two batters in his longest outing of the season. Jesus Vargas relieved him for the next four innings, allowing four runs, two of which earned on two hits, walking two and striking out four. Cam Gibbens also spun two shutout innings, nearly perfect with one walk and four strikeouts. Zack Plunkett (L, 0-2) entered in the ninth, unable to hold the Lugnuts' rally from what felt like stealing Saturday's contest. Brock Whittlesey (W, 2-0) made his third appearance of the season, holding the Loons scoreless after Carson Taylor was tagged out at the plate, following a two-out single by Liput. Whittlesey has earned his two decisions, both wins, in this Great Lakes series after picking up the victory on Thursday, despite allowing a run to score on one hit.

"Back-and-forth" has been the tale of this road series in Lansing for the Loons, with the Lugnuts and GL taking a game from each other in every other matchup. After Lansing won Tuesday's debut, both have gone game-for-game, with the Lugnuts holding a one-game advantage into tomorrow's finale. Saturday's decision moves Lansing, Great Lakes, and now West Michigan 3 1/2 games out of first-place Dayton in the HAC's East Division. WM has lost their last five.

Following Valera's RBI triple and scoring on a passed ball in the top of the third, Max Schuemann tied the game with his fourth homerun of the season. A 2-2 game didn't last for long, as Liput's first homerun of the year came the following half-inning, bringing two runs in after a Ching double to put the Loons back out front, 4-2.

Lansing plated two unearned runs on Vargas in the bottom of the fifth inning, thanks to a Lazaro Armenteros RBI single to knot the two teams at 4-4. Ching's second hit in a 2-for-5 night came as a screaming, line-drive solo HR in the top of the sixth, giving Great Lakes a 5-4 lead through the seventh and eighth. The Loons nearly found insurance in the top of the ninth with the bases loaded and one out, but were turned away by an incredible 4-6-3 double play turned by Lansing to hold the score. After Plunkett allowed Selman's tying HR on the second pitch of the half-inning, and more baseball was guaranteed, the Loons were denied yet another scoring chance in the top of the tenth. With Taylor on second and two gone for Liput, a sharp single to Lansing's Selman in right set up Taylor to be tagged out at the plate and holding a 5-5 tie. Elvis Peralta scored Drew Millas from second in the tenth to finalize Saturday's tilt.

A 12-game road trip ends Sunday, as the Loons and Lugnuts conclude a six-game series at Jackson Field with a 1:05 P.M. start time. Expected to be given the start for Great Lakes is right-hander Logan Boyer in what will be his second start of the series. Boyer made his first appearance of this week's series against Lansing on June 16 when he pitched a scoreless first inning. Opposing Boyer for the Lugnuts is fellow righty Stevie Emanuels, who has allowed 14 earned runs in 24 1/3 innings in 2021, holding a 5.18 ERA. In one prior matchup against Great Lakes on May 30, Emanuels allowed four runs on five hits in four innings in his first losing decision of the year.

The Loons anticipated return to Dow Diamond comes on Tuesday, June 22 to begin a six-game stretch against the Lake County Captains at 7:05 P.M. A studded promotional schedule week begins Tuesday with Small Business Tuesdays, presented by Midland Business Alliance, in addition to Hometown Heroes every Tuesday night, presented by Hemlock Semiconductor. Every Wednesday at Dow Diamond are Bark in the Park nights, presented by Creation Coffee. This Wednesday is Great Lakes' monthly Camels Takeover as we celebrate Hump Day, presented by Fisher Companies.

Thirsty Thursday, presented by Miller Lite, is That 70's Night at Dow Diamond as the Loons throw it back to the decade of disco! Great Lakes breaks out their second Dodgers Bluesday on Friday, presented by MidMichigan Health, paying tribute to Dodgers legend Fernando Valenzuela. As always, fans can expect a great selection of discounted food specials for Feast Fridays, presented by Isabella Bank. The Loons also celebrate the contributions of Hispanic and Latino players to the game of baseball with Latino Loons Night! Fans can enjoy a postgame Fireworks Loontacular on Saturday, presented by Farm Bureau Insurance. Rounding out the six-game series, kids eat free and run the bases postgame every Sunday at Dow Diamond with a 1:05 P.M. series finale, presented by Serra Toyota of Saginaw. A full look at the 2021 Promotional Schedule can be found at Loons.com.

The Great Lakes Loons have been the Single-A partner of the Los Angeles Dodgers since the team's inception in 2007. Dow Diamond serves as the team's home and also houses the Michigan Baseball Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit public charity, and ESPN 100.9-FM. For tickets or information about the Loons, call 989-837-BALL or visit Loons.com.

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