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MWL Great Lakes Loons

Swept out of First to Begin Road Trip

August 12, 2021 - Midwest League (MWL)
Great Lakes Loons News Release


APPLETON, WI - Playing in a Wednesday doubleheader to make up from a rain-out Tuesday night, the Great Lakes Loons (45-41) gave both games to the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (41-44) to begin a six-game series at Fox Cities Stadium. Five-straight losses is the longest skid of the season for Great Lakes, as they've fallen out of first place.

The Loons combined for four home runs in the two games Wednesday night to surpass their previous franchise record of 127 HRs, reaching number 125 in their 86th game of the year.

Despite falling in both games at Fox Cities Stadium, the Loons outhit the Timber Rattlers in both contests. Great Lakes had a 6-1 lead vanish in game one with a six-run frame from Wisconsin in the fifth to take the decisive lead, and fumbled a 3-0 lead in game two by allowing five in the fourth.

Wisconsin's Brady Schanuel (W, 4-0) allowed no runs or walks in 2 1/3 innings in game one, finishing with four strikeouts. Mike Mokma (L, 2-4) allowed four earned runs in the fifth inning on three hits.

A promising night offensively began for the Loons in game one with six runs in three innings and led 6-1 into the fourth. Ryan Ward walked to begin Wednesday's first game, and was followed up by a Carson Taylor RBI double. The duo of a Ward walk and a Taylor double struck in the following inning, doing the same in the second to give Great Lakes a 3-0 lead.

Brandon Lewis was hit by a pitch in his first at-bat Wednesday night, and left the game in the following inning. Zac Ching relieved Lewis in game one, scoring Taylor after his second RBI double in the second inning with a two-run blast to make it 5-0 Great Lakes after two frames. Ching would homer again in the seventh to cut the deficit to one for his first multi-HR night of the season.

Wisconsin found the scoreboard with an unearned run on the line of Clayton Beeter in his 21st start of the season. Beeter finished with four punchouts in 2 2/3 innings, also allowing a pair of walks. Leading 5-1 into the third, Great Lakes got their second HR of the game from a Joe Vranesh solo shot with two outs on a ball that was reportedly hit 456 feet for his seventh longball of the season.

Wisconsin took their first lead of game one with six runs in the bottom of the fifth inning with two different three-run home runs from Joe Gray Jr. and Yeison Coca. For Gray, it was his fourth of the season, and was just the second HR of the year for Coca.

Game two began with the Loons finding the scoreboard first again, hopping out to a quick 3-0 lead after the conclusion of the top of the fourth with a pair of long balls. Deacon Liput clubbed his ninth homer of the season to give the Loons a 1-0 lead in the second inning in game two. Leading off the third inning, Ching was the fifth Loons batter hit by a pitch Wednesday night and would come in to score on a Leonel Valera ground ball. Pages knocked his 23rd Loons long ball of the year, which is tied for most HRs in the High-A Central, to stretch the lead to 3-0 in the fourth inning.

Logan Boyer recorded two innings in the game two start, finishing with no runs and three strikeouts. Wisconsin plated five runs in the fourth inning, having their first six batters to the plate reach safely, with five of the six coming in to score.

Wisconsin's Nash Walters (W, 4-3) allowed two hits in 1 2/3 innings, ending his night with two punch outs. Aldry Acosta (L, 0-1) walked three batters in the fourth, finishing with four earned runs on just two hits.

Great Lakes attempts to put an end to a five-game losing skid Thursday night at Fox Cities Stadium, with first pitch scheduled for 8:05 P.M. EDT. Expected to make the start for Great Lakes is Jesus Vargas (4.43 ERA, 69.0 IP), and is set to be opposed by Wisconsin's Victor Castaneda (3.94 ERA, 64.0 IP). Coverage begins with the Loons On-Deck Circle, Built by Three Rivers, at 7:35 P.M. EDT.

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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