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MWL Great Lakes Loons

Walk-Off Walk Helps TinCaps Swipe Series Opener

June 30, 2021 - Midwest League (MWL)
Great Lakes Loons News Release


FORT WAYNE, IN - Three homeruns weren't enough to help the Great Lakes Loons (25-24) in their second consecutive extra-innings game, falling to the Fort Wayne TinCaps (23-25) at Parkview Field on Tuesday night, 6-5. The Loons took the lead in the top of the 11th with a Deacon Liput double, scoring Brandon Lewis from third. The home TinCaps then plated the game-tying run from third with a bases-loaded, infield single for Ethan Skender, with Kelvin Melean narrowly beating the force-out at the plate from third. With the bases still loaded, Seamus Curran drew a run-scoring walk from Jeff Belge, ending the game at three hours and 42 minutes. Tuesday's game was the first meeting between Fort Wayne and Great Lakes of 2021, despite both being members of the East Division. They'll play an additional 17 more times, with the last 12 being at Dow Diamond.

Loons starter and Dodgers' 2020 second-rounder Clayton Beeter logged his fourth perfect line in his 13th appearance of the season, tying a season-high with two innings of scoreless baseball, allowing no hits and striking out three. Bobby Miller, who was the Dodgers first selection in 2020, relieved him for a season-high four innings, allowing two runs on four hits, walking one batter and striking out six. Miller and Beeter contributed nine of the 14 combined strikeouts by GL's pitchers on Tuesday, surrendering six walks. Belge (L, 2-1) allowed a run on two hits in the 11th. Fort Wayne's Jose Geraldo (W, 1-0) allowed the inherited runner to score in the top of the 11th, finishing with two hits allowed and a strikeout.

A night highlighted by three Loons longballs began with a solo blast for Ryan Ward, his ninth of the season, to give Great Lakes a 1-0 lead in the fourth. Fort Wayne responded with two runs in the bottom of the inning, erasing the deficit and holding their first lead. The Loons promptly answered with the fifth homer of the season for Liput, tying the ballgame until Joe Vranesh's go-ahead, two-run dinger in the top of the seventh, giving Great Lakes a 4-2 lead.

Fort Wayne's Tirso Ornelas shined offensively for the TinCaps, finishing 2-for-4 with his 19th double of the season and three runs batted in. Three other members of the FW offense scored runs, finishing 5-for-8 with runners in scoring position. Great Lakes ended Tuesday's loss 2-for-13 in the same stat.

The six-game series at Parkview Field continues Wednesday night in Fort Wayne with an estimated 7:05 P.M. EDT time between the Loons and TinCaps. Game two is set to feature a matchup of right-handed starters, with GL's Logan Boyer set to oppose Fort Wayne's Moises Lugo. In 12 games, Boyer has logged 12 innings of work, managing a 2.25 earned-run average. Lugo has recorded 38 2/3 innings in nine games, carrying a 2.79 ERA. Action is carried live on ESPN 100.9 FM, with the Loons On-Deck Circle, Built by Three Rivers, begins at 6:35 P.M. The Loons return home after Independence Day for a six-game series against in-state Lansing, beginning on July 6.

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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