Great Lakes Splits Doubleheader with Lake County

MIDLAND, Mich. – Coming into a doubleheader Saturday afternoon at Dow Diamond, the Great Lakes Loons knew they had a tall task ahead of them.

Lake County, High-A affiliate of the Cleveland Guardians, had its organization’s first- and second-round draft picks from 2021 scheduled to throw in the two games of the doubleheader.

The Loons were up to the challenge and competed well, splitting the doubleheader with the Captains. Loons won game one, 1-0, before falling in game two, 5-2.

In the first game of the twin bill, the Captains (6-8) started right-hander Gavin Williams (L, 0-1), the Guardians’ 2021 first-rounder. Great Lakes (5-9) got one run off of him the first inning. Eddys Leonard led off the frame with a double into left field and advanced to third on a wild pitch. After Jorbit Vivas walked, Jonny Deluca grounded into a double play, and Leonard scored. After that, Williams was incredibly stingy, tossing four more innings but allowing only one more hit. His final line read five innings of two-hit baseball, allowing one earned run while walking three and striking out seven. He kept his hitters in the game, but takes a tough-luck loss.

Meanwhile, Loons pitching was also spinning an incredible game. Southpaw starter Lael Lockhart allowed three hits and two walks in his three innings of work, but did not allow a run and struck out seven. Jose Hernandez (W, 1-1) followed that up with two frames of one-hit baseball, including no walks, no runs, and a punchout.

The final two frames were tossed by Jordan Leasure (SV, 2), who turned in an early contender for relief performance of the year. Leasure tossed two perfect frames of baseball and struck out five Captains to secure the win for Great Lakes, 1-0.

Because of rules introduced to Minor League Baseball last season, each game of the doubleheader was seven innings. The first game ended right around 3:00 p.m., sneaking in with a game time just under two hours. Game two got started right around 3:30 p.m.

It was Great Lakes who would strike first in the second game as well. Left-handed Lake County starter Doug Nikhazy loaded the bases on two walks and a single, then walked Zac Ching to put the Loons in front, 1-0.

But the Captains had more offense in them in the second game. Gavin Stone (L, 0-1) was dealing early, having allowed just one hit in his first three innings. In the fourth, Jhonkensy Noel teed off for an absolute moonshot, his second home run of the young season, which traveled 450 feet and landed beyond the seating section past the left field wall. That tied the game at one.

Lake County righty Zach Hart (W, 1-1) kept the Loons quiet in the fourth and fifth innings, allowing two walks as his lone baserunners while striking out four on the way to his first win of the year.

Stone came out of the game in the fifth inning with the bases loaded and one out. Ryan Sublette came in and balked, allowing the go-ahead run to score, before getting out of the frame. At that point, Lake County had a 2-1 lead.

Sublette came back out for the sixth inning, and gave up three runs on three hits and a walk in that frame to extend Lake County’s lead to 5-1.

In the bottom of the sixth, Joe Vranesh began the Loons’ comeback effort, blasting a solo home run to lead off the frame. That was Vranesh’s first home run of the season, and it brought Great Lakes back within three runs. The Loons mustered a hit in the seventh and final frame, but could not find more runs, and fall in game two, 5-2.

The Loons have now taken three games in the six-game set to secure at least a series split, heading into the week’s final game on Sunday afternoon at Dow Diamond. Loons right-hander Kyle Hurt (0-0, 3.86 ERA) takes on fellow righty Tommy Mace (0-1, 3.86) for Lake County. First pitch is scheduled for 1:05 p.m., with pregame coverage beginning at 12:50 p.m on ESPN 100.9-FM with the Loons On-Deck Circle, driven by Garber Chevrolet Midland. Kids eat free and run the bases every Sunday at Dow Diamond – get your tickets now at loons.com.

The Great Lakes Loons have been a 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.