Loons Take Under Two Hour Series Opener 2-1 over Captains

Midland, Mich. – The Great Lakes Loons (36-16) played their fastest game of the season, edging the Lake County Captains (25-27) 2-1 in a one-hour and 54-minute contest on a clear 69-degree Tuesday night at Dow Diamond. Loons pitching needed just 89 pitches to attain 27 outs.

With a Great Lakes Loons win and a West Michigan Whitecaps loss tonight the Loons “magic number” is now seven. 14 games remain in the first-half schedule, with the Loons atop the division by eight games over the Whitecaps.

Hyun-il Choi made his first start in Midland since 2022’s Opening Day. The right-hander tossed five innings, allowing just one hit. Dayan Frias led off the third inning with a triple, Frias scored after a RBI groundout by Junior Sanquintin. Choi was efficient, throwing 47 pitches, and 33 strikes.

Great Lakes had chances but were held off the board through the first three innings by Lake County’s Reid Johnston. Alex Freeland and Yeiner Fernandez singled in the first, but a popup and strikeout ended the threat. Damon Keith roped the first pitch he saw into centerfield to begin the second and Jake Vogel was hit by a pitch. A fielder’s choice curtailed the chance.

Two walks in the fourth helped the Loons knot up the score. With two outs, Jake Vogel walked on four pitches, and Ismael Alcantara won a seven-pitch encounter. Luis Diaz, took advantage of the opportunity lacing a ball passed the diving glove of the Captains' second baseman Nate Furman and into centerfield. Vogel scored from second with no throw to the plate.

Choi worked the fourth and fifth, retiring six straight, nine in a row since the RBI groundout. Robbie Peto continued the dominance, throwing a 1-2-3 five-pitch sixth. Peto’s lone baserunner allowed was a hit by pitch of Milan Tolentino in the seventh. Tolentino was doubled up after a flyout to centerfield, Jake Vogel gunned a one-hopper to Griffin Lockwood-Powell at the base.

Following the Diaz RBI single, Johnston retired the next five, taken out with one out in the sixth. Trenton Denholm took over and worked a scoreless 1.1 innings. Great Lakes tagged him for two straight doubles to begin the eighth.

Yeiner Fernandez rifled a ball down the right-field line, his 12th multi-hit game. Chris Newell, in his Dow Diamond debut, swung at the first pitch pushing it down the left-field line to make it 2-1.

Juan Morillo was given the ninth and cashed in on his second save opportunity, setting the Captains down in order. Since permitting four runs in his season debut at High-A, Morillo has allowed just one run over the last seven innings.

Game two of the series is tomorrow Wednesday, June 7th, 2023. Tomorrow will see an appearance by Zeke the Wonderdog, who will entertain the crowd throughout the game. The first pitch between Great Lakes and Lake County is set for 7:05 p.m.

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.