MWL1 Great Lakes Loons

Sulbaran Dominant in Loons' Win

July 13, 2013 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Great Lakes Loons News Release


MIDLAND, Mich. - Miguel Sulbaran (6-2) pitched his best game of 2013, holding the Peoria Chiefs (48-41, 10-12) scoreless over seven innings, as the Great Lakes Loons (42-51, 15-8) knocked off Peoria, 5-0, in the first game of a three-game series on Saturday night to bounce back from a tough loss on Friday.

Sulbaran gave up three hits over his seven innings of work, while striking out two and walking two. He only allowed one Chiefs player to reach scoring position and that did not happen until Jeremy Schaffer doubled in the sixth. Schaffer was the only Chief to reach scoring position in the game and he was stranded at second base.

"I worked a lot with my fastball because my breaking pitches weren't really doing much," Sulbaran said. "So it was really good to do well with my fastball. I work really well with Capellan. I like it when he's behind the plate and we just have good results when we work together."

"Miguel has really begun to throw strikes and is commanding the (strike) zone," Loons manager Razor Shines added. "Tonight, he attacked hitters, had his breaking ball going in for strikes and threw his changeup for strikes. When you do that and have good stuff, you are usually successful and he was really good tonight."

Sulbaran has now allowed just three earned runs in forty innings pitched over his last seven appearances. In those seven appearances, he has a 0.68 ERA and 1.00 WHIP, along with a 31-8 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

The Loons put the first run on the board in the fifth inning. Nine-hitter Jose Capellan doubled down the left field line and advanced to third base when Malcolm Holland grounded into a double play. Capellan scored on a wild pitch with Corey Seager at the plate.

Silfredo Garcia (2-2) started on the mound for Peoria, giving up one run on four hits in 4 2/3 innings. Garcia struck out four and walked four.

Great Lakes' second run came in the sixth inning. With runners at the corners and Jeremy Rathjen at the plate, Loons manager Razor Shines called for a double steal and a suicide squeeze on the same play. The pitch from Peoria relief pitcher Michael Aldrete got by catcher Gerwuins Velazco and Brandon Dixon scored from third. Because Dixon was breaking from third prior to the wild pitch, he was given a steal of home plate.

The play was controversial because it appeared to the naked eye that the pitch might have gone off Rathjen's bat and into foul territory. Chiefs manager Dann Bilardello argued the call vehemently and was eventually ejected from the ballgame.

Dixon was 1-for-3 in the game, with a walk and hit his first career triple in the sixth inning.

"I was seeing the ball well in that at-bat," Dixon said. "I got a couple of off-speed pitches in the dirt and then with a 2-2 count, I think he threw a splitter that went in the dirt. So I kind of knew he was going to come back with a fastball on 3-2 and he kind of left it over the plate and it found the barrel."

The Loons put three runs on the board in the seventh to seal the victory. After a Robbie Garvey triple to start the inning, two of the next three hitters walked to load the bases for five-hitter Aaron Miller. Miller drew a walk, scoring Garvey for the first run of the inning. Seager and Tyler Ogle scored the next two runs of the frame. They each scored from third base on separate wild pitches.

Aldrete was credited for all four runs that the Loons scored in the sixth and seventh innings. He gave up two hits and three walks in 1 2/3 innings, while striking out two.

"Last night, the game kind of got away from us; tonight, it kind of got away from them," Shines said. "Things happen in baseball and you don't always win games you should. Their starter was really good tonight, but we benefited from a couple of breaks by being aggressive and I'm really happy with our performance."

Craig Stem threw a scoreless eighth and Arismendy Ozoria struck out the side in the ninth to finish the game for Great Lakes.

The Loons play the second game of a three-game series against the Chiefs on Sunday afternoon. Game time is 3:05 p.m. The projected starter for Great Lakes is Brandon Martinez (1-0, 3.80 ERA) and Brad Watson (1-2, 4.02) is expected to start for Peoria. It is a Family Fun in the SUNday at Dow Diamond, including an opportunity for kids to run the bases after the game.

Check out the Great Lakes Loons Statistics



Midwest League Stories from July 13, 2013


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