Late-Inning Drama Serves Loons Second Straight Heartbreak

For a second straight night, the Great Lakes Loons had a solo home run in the top of the eighth inning to tie the game. And for a second straight night, the Lake County Captains retook the lead in the bottom of the eighth.

On Friday night at Classic Park in Eastlake, Ohio, the Loons broke the script by tying the game again in the top of the ninth.

Unfortunately, the home side had the answer.

Angel Martinez smacked a single to center field, scoring Mike Amditis from second base to secure the walk-off win for Lake County, 4-3.

The Loons (17-14) scored the first run of the game in the top of the fourth inning. Eddys Leonard doubled to start the frame, his league-leading 11th two-bagger of the season. The next batter, Jorbit Vivas, whacked a single to put the visitors in front, 1-0. That was one of two hits for Vivas, who finished 2-for-4, the only Great Lakes player with a multi-hit game.

It didn’t take long for Lake County (14-16) to respond, which was true throughout the entire game: every inning in which the Loons scored in the top half, the Captains scored in the bottom. In the home half of the fourth, Aaron Bracho belted his first homer of the year to tie the game at one. Connor Kokx reached on an error by Leonard, his fourth error in the last three games. Amditis then singled and moved to second on an error on Joe Vranesh, and Kokx scored to give Lake County the lead, 2-1.

Those runs were all that Loons righty starter Cole Percival would allow in his four innings of work, and only one was earned. He allowed four hits and two walks while striking out three.

On the other side, Lake County right-handed hurler Gavin Williams, the second-best pitching prospect in the Cleveland Guardians’ system, had a terrific start. In 5 2-3 innings, he allowed one earned run, surrendering five hits and a base on balls while punching out six Loons.

Williams left in line for the win, but the Loons had more life in them, and tied it in the top of the eighth. Jonny Deluca led off the frame with a solo shot, his 10th of the year, which is tied for first in the Midwest League. The Loons went down in order after that.

Lake County, affiliate of their neighbors to the west in Cleveland, got one run in the bottom of the eighth on no hits. Petey Halpin led off the frame with a walk against Cole Duensing, advanced to second on a wild pitch, to third on a groundout, and home on a Ryan Sublette wild pitch, to retake the lead, 3-2.

The Loons, High-A partner of the Los Angeles Dodgers, would respond with an unearned run in the top of the ninth inning, also on no hits. Kekai Rios walked to lead off the frame, advanced to second on a passed ball, then scored on a two-out throwing error by Martinez, the shortstop. Cade Smith (W, 1-0) struck out the other three batters he faced, but could not keep the lead, and left with the game tied at three runs apiece.

Jose Hernandez (L, 1-2) came into the game for the Loons on a scoreless streak of over 11 innings. It came to an end on the aforementioned walk-off hit by Martinez. Amditis walked in the frame, and Hernandez walked another batter: Martinez came to the plate with runners on first and second and two outs. On the game-winning play, DeLuca made a strong, accurate throw home, but Amditis slid in just before the tag to win it for Lake County, 4-3.

The six-game series is now tied at two games apiece, with game five scheduled for 6:35 p.m. on Saturday night at Classic Park in Eastlake, Ohio. The Loons will start right-hander Kendall Williams (0-2, 6.00 ERA), opposing Lake County lefty Doug Nikhazy (0-1, 4.20 ERA). Pregame coverage begins on ESPN 100.9-FM with the Loons On-Deck Circle, driven by Garber Chevrolet Midland, at 6:20 p.m.

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.