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MWL Great Lakes Loons

Ward Scores Six Times for Franchise Record in 16-7 Win

August 20, 2021 - Midwest League (MWL)
Great Lakes Loons News Release


MIDLAND, MI - From a pair of five-run innings, the Great Lakes Loons (49-44) defeated the Lansing Lugnuts (44-49) at Dow Diamond Thursday night, scoring 16 runs to tie a season-high on 17 hits for the 16-7 final. Reigning High-A Central Offensive Player of the Week Ryan Ward set a new franchise record in the big win by crossing home plate six times, a record untouched since June 5, 2009, when Jaime Pedroza tallied five runs.

Swatting his 22nd Loons long ball of the season, Ward finished 3-for-4 with 6 RBI, falling a triple shy of the cycle. Andy Pages still leads the Loons, along with the rest of the HAC, with 23 HRs this year. The duo of Pages and Ward have poured in 45 home runs this season, contributing more than a third of the team's 144 HRs this season.

Ward's ninth-inning HR was his sixth in his last six games, ending his third three-hit night in less than a week.

Los Angeles Dodgers 2020 fifth-rounder Gavin Stone made his High-A debut Thursday night following his promotion from Low-A Rancho Cucamonga on Tuesday. In four innings, Stone struck out eight batters and allowed no walks for his first start with Great Lakes. Stone allowed six runs on eight hits from a pair of long balls, one of which a grand slam.

The 16 hits by the Loons offense were the most since a 16-9 win against West Michigan at Dow Diamond on July 28. The Great Lakes offense finished 7-for-23 with runners in scoring position, getting multi-hit nights from seven of their nine starters. Along with Ward's three hits, Kenneth Betancourt also with three hits at the bottom of the lineup, the most hits in a Loons game for the Venezuelan-born infielder.

Andy Pages and Eddys Leonard both doubled in two-hit performances and finished with four combined runs batted in. Leonard extended his hitting streak to 12 games with an RBI double in the third inning, also raising his on-base streak to 14 games.

A grand slam from Brett Harris erased a 2-1 Loons lead in the top of the fourth, vaulting Lansing to their first and only lead of Thursday's game. Great Lakes would plate five in the fourth inning, three in the fifth, one in the seventh and five more in the eighth inning in a game that combined for 19 hits from both teams.

Oakland Athletics' 2021 seventh-rounder Brett Harris led the Lugnuts offense with his grand slam, ending his night as one of four different Lansing batters with a multi-hit night. In ten games in High-A Lansing, Harris is averaging .345 with a 1.096 OPS, knocking his third HR Thursday night in his first professional season.

With the Thursday night win, Great Lakes is now tied with Dayton for second in the East Division. More importantly, three games separate the Loons from Cedar Rapids, the current placeholder of the second and final post-season bid in the High-A Central with less than 30 games remaining.

Right-hander Hyun-il Choi makes his 19th appearance of the season Friday night, with gates opening at 6:05 P.M. EDT for Feast Friday at Dow Diamond, presented by Isabella Bank. Friday is also the Greater Midland Races' annual Loons Pennant Race with a 5K walk/run and one-mile run starting and ending at Dow Diamond. Ending the night with a bang, Human Cannonball! Dave "The Bullet" Smith launches himself across the diamond for in his death-defying stunt, as seen on America's Got Talent.

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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