Loons Hold TinCaps to Three Hits, Use Two Homers for 3-1 Win

TinCaps held hitless in the final five frames

By Noah Wolf

June 1, 2022

MIDLAND, Mich. – After a stretch where the Loons allowed 51 runs in seven games, the Great Lakes pitching staff was looking for a return to form. They got it Wednesday night at Dow Diamond. The Loons pitchers held the Fort Wayne TinCaps to just three hits, all in the

MIDLAND, Mich. – After a stretch where the Loons allowed 51 runs in seven games, the Great Lakes pitching staff was looking for a return to form.

They got it Wednesday night at Dow Diamond.

The Loons pitchers held the Fort Wayne TinCaps to just three hits, all in the first four innings, as they cruise to a 3-1 victory.

Fort Wayne (19-28) got on the board first in the top of the third inning. After a pair of walks, Jarryd Dale came through with an RBI single to put the TinCaps in front, 1-0.

That was the only run allowed by right-handed Loons starting pitcher Kendall Williams (W, 1-2). Williams had his best start of the season in Loons uniform, allowing just three hits and two walks in six innings of work while picking up three punchouts.

Great Lakes (26-21) took the lead for good in the bottom half of the same frame. Ismael Alcantara singled to lead off the frame, then the next two Loons struck out. With two outs on the board, Jorbit Vivas stroked a two-run homer, placing it just over the wall and just inside the right-field foul pole. That put the Loons ahead, 2-1.

Fort Wayne righty Efraín Contreras (L, 0-2) came back out for the fourth inning and faced two batters. The first, Imanol Vargas, blasted his fifth home run of the year to give the Loons a 3-1 advantage, which would be the final score. Contreras struck out the second man he faced in the frame before he was removed. The right-handed starter tossed 3 1-3 innings, allowed five hits, three earned runs and two walks while striking out seven Loons.

After the Loons, High-A partner of the Los Angeles Dodgers, removed Williams from the game, they continued to be dominant on the mound. First was Braydon Fisher, who tossed two hitless innings, allowing a pair of baserunners on a walk and a hit batsman, and punching out three TinCaps. He was followed by Ryan Sublette (SV, 3) who hit a batter with two outs, but did not allow a hit nor a walk, registering one strikeout.

A night after walking 10 batters, the Loons turned it around, allowing just three bases on balls over the course of the game. The three hits that the TinCaps registered is the lowest for a Loons opponent since Great Lakes held Lake County to three hits in a 4-1 win in Eastlake, Ohio, on Tuesday, May 10.

Fort Wayne, the San Diego Padres’ affiliate, was not quite as dominant on the mound, allowing eight hits to the Loons over the course of the game, but they were effective. Great Lakes was not able to score after the fourth inning.

Diego Cartaya, the No. 1 prospect in the Dodgers’ organization, went 1-for-2 with a pair of walks in his High-A debut. Vivas (2-for-3) and Vargas (2-for-4) both had multi-hit games for the Loons.

Great Lakes has evened the series at one game apiece, with four more games at Dow Diamond this week. The two squads will meet a total of 18 times over the course of the 2022 season. The series continues Thursday at 7:05 p.m., with pregame coverage beginning on ESPN 100.9-FM at 6:50 p.m. with the Loons On-Deck Circle, driven by Garber Chevrolet Midland. Loons right-hander Ben Casparius is slotted to start, making his High-A debut after being called up Saturday from Rancho Cucamonga. Fort Wayne has scheduled southpaw Robert Gasser (1-6, 5.31 ERA).

It’s the first game in the Loons’ Celebrity Series: actor Jay Jackson, who played Perd Hapley in NBC’s Parks and Recreation, will be on the concourse signing autographs as part of Midland Parks & Rec Night. It’s also a Thirsty Thursday, presented by John P. O’Sullivan Distributing: enjoy 50% off draft beer all night long, and stop by the Cove Bar tor a tap takeover and live bar trivia. After the game, Dow Diamond lights up the sky with the first Fireworks Loontacular of the season, presented by Farm Bureau Insurance of Michigan. Tickets are still available 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.