MWL1 Great Lakes Loons

Walk-off Loss Sends Loons to 10th Straight Defeat

Published on June 26, 2018 under Midwest League (MWL1)
Great Lakes Loons News Release


DAYTON, Ohio - Lost opportunities haunted the Loons on Tuesday night as a walk-off double by Dayton's Leandro Santana sent the Loons spiraling to their 10th straight loss, 4-3, on an overcast night, reflective of the mood in the visiting clubhouse, at Fifth Third Field.

The 10-game slump ties the franchise record, set less than a year ago by the 2017 squad that lost 10 straight from July 6-16. The Loons lost in walk-off fashion for the third time on the skid.

Great Lakes crafted a lead on an RBI single by Darrell Miller, Jr. in the fourth inning off Dayton starter Andrew Jordan, but the right-hander largely kept the Loons' offense under wraps over six innings; Jordan allowed five hits and one walk alongside four strikeouts.

Jordan was matched by a strong start from Loons' starter Alfredo Tavarez, who tallied season-highs in innings pitched (5 2/3) and strikeouts (six). The righty departed in the sixth inning with the tying runner on third base. Connor Strain came out of the bullpen and fell behind to Malik Collymore, who clocked the next pitch the opposite field in right for a triple that tied the game at 1-1. Dayton took its first lead of the game in the bottom of the seventh thanks in part to two wild pitches thrown by Strain, the second of which scored John Sansone to make the score 2-1.

Carlos Rincon continued his successful month with a solo home run in the eighth inning off right-hander Connor Bennett to re-tie the game. The 20-year-old Rincon owns the longest hit streak of the season for the Loons (12 straight) and has hits in 21 of his last 22 games.

Again, the Loons' offense performed dismally with runners in scoring position: 2-for-11 on Tuesday. The Loons stranded a one-out double in the ninth inning, and failed to deliver a knock-out blow in the top of the 10th inning.

Miller gave the Loons a 3-2 lead in extras when he drove in his second run of the night. With runners on second and third and one out, Dayton intentionally walked Carlos Rincon to bring the slumping Romer Cuadrado to the plate. Cuadrado stormed ahead 3-0 in the count, but on a payoff pitch, rolled the ball over to shortstop Jeter Downs for an inning-ending double play. Cuadrado is second in the league in strikeouts and is batting .184 in June.

The Loons lost the lead in the bottom of the 10th with no outs on a sacrifice bunt attempt by Jose Garcia. Righty reliever Yeison Cespedes, in his second game with the Loons, fielded the ball in the grass left of the hill and threw a dirt-ball up the line to Brandon Montgomery covering first. Raul Wallace scored the tying run as Garcia took second on the error. Santana, the clean-up hitter, spanked the ball over the head of center fielder Josh McLain to end it with one out in the frame.

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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Midwest League Stories from June 26, 2018


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