Loons Tally Four Runs in Tenth, Triumph 8-4 in Extras

Eastlake, Ohio. – The Great Lakes Loons (20-11) exploded for their biggest inning, a four-run top of the tenth to sink the Lake County Captains (16-14) 8-4 on a 71-degree overcast Friday night at Classic Park.

In the tenth, Great Lakes matched their run total through the first nine innings. With Dalton Rushing starting the frame on second [Damon Keithand Alex Freelandhit back-to-back singles, Freeland’s making it 5-4. A Taylor Young sacrifice fly plated Keith, and then Griffin Lockwood-Powell throttled a 2-1 pitch over the right field wall, to bring the score to 8-4. Lockwood-Powell’s second homer this year.

Antonio Knowles in the bottom of the tenth, struck out two to earn his second win of the season.

After just one baserunner through the first two innings, the Loons offense had the first four reach in the top of the third. Jake Vogel reached on an error, and Frank Rodriguez, in his first at-bat at the High-A level sent a single to center field.

The two Midwest League leaders in on-base percentage entering the game, Austin Gauthier and Dalton Rushing followed. Gauthier plated Vogel with an RBI double to right field, and Rushing slashed an infield single that scored Rodriguez. Gauthier and Rushing, with two outs in the inning, executed a double steal, which forced a throw to second base, that was whipped into centerfield. Gauthier easily advanced home. It was a three-run top of the third for Great Lakes.

Ronan Kopp threw the first three innings. The left-hander struck out three consecutive batters, each on four pitches, after allowing the leadoff batter to reach on a single in the first. Two walks, helped Lake County push across a run in the third. Jake Fox singled to right field, with two on. Fox was picked off later in the inning by Kopp, who got a groundout to end the frame. The 20-year-old stranded a runner in each inning pitched.

In the middle innings, offenses were kept quiet. Juan Zapata of the Captains struck out seven across the three innings. Michael Hobbs, had an eight-pitch fourth inning, working around an error. Robbie Peto, retired six of the first seven batters he faced, striking out two in the sixth.

The Captains tallied three to take a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the seventh. Peto walked the first two he saw and then permitted a single to right field from Christian Cairo. Victor Planchart scored, and after an awkward deflection that spun the ball toward centerfield, Dayan Frias tried to score. He was thrown out at the plate.

Cairo moved to second after the throw home, stole third, and then sprinted home after Jake Fox’s second RBI single of the game. A third walk put two runners on. Jorge Burgos delivered the dagger with a RBI single to right, the inning ended after Burgos was thrown out trying to reach second base. Christian Suarez finished the frame, and all three runs were charged to Peto.

In the top of the eighth, Great Lakes finally pushed Juan Zabata out of the game. Damon Keith singled, Alex Freeland walked, and then Taylor Young sliced a 1-1 pitch to right field, scoring Keith and knotting up the score at four. Franco Aleman got the required next three outs, with the Loons stranding Freeland and Young in scoring position. Jake Vogel struck out after an eight-pitch battle.

Christian Suarez needed just six pitches for a 1-2-3 bottom of the eighth. Franco Aleman did the same, against 9-1-2 in the Loons order, the right-hander struck out four in two completed innings.

The bottom of the ninth saw two Captains reach with two outs ending Suarez’s night, two scoreless. Antonio Knowles generated the third out, a flyout to centerfield to bring the game into extras. Franco Aleman pitched the tenth, where he permitted four runs, three earned.

Three of the first four have gone to Great Lakes, who look for a series win tomorrow Saturday, May 13th, at Classic Park. The first pitch is at 6:35 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.