Choi’s Five Innings Commands Loons Past TinCaps 5-2

Midland, Mich. – The Great Lakes Loons (68-46) (23-26) grabbed three runs in the first three innings and pitching held strong to take the series opener 5-2 over the Fort Wayne TinCaps (59-56) (27-22) on a 71-degree cloudy Tuesday night at Dow Diamond.

The Loons, for the fourth straight game, scored in the first inning. Taylor Young doubled, and Alex Freeland walked. A double steal put two into scoring position for Griffin Lockwood-Powell. The reigning Midwest League Player of the Week plated two on a double struck 104 mph up the left-field line. Lockwood-Powell has 11 RBI in his last seven games.

Aggressive baserunning assisted Great Lakes' next two runs. Taylor Young bunted aboard to start the third, was moved to second on a groundout, and then stole third base. Yeiner Fernandez’s sacrifice fly brought the score to 3-0.

In the bottom of the fifth, Jake Vogel singled and then took second. Taylor Young sliced a 1-2 pitch into centerfield for the fourth Loons run against Fort Wayne starter Edwuin Bencomo. Bencomo permitted four of the five Great Lakes stolen bases and runs.

Hyun-il Choi went five innings, letting up just one run. The right-hander completed his third five-inning outing in his 13th appearance. Choi retired the first six he faced and forced a double play after a leadoff walk in the top of the third. Nine-hitter Kervin Pichardo smashed a 0-1 pitch 388 feet to left field for a solo home run with two outs in the third inning.

After that, Choi sat down the next four. In the fifth inning, Carlos Luis and a Midwest League debuting Griffin Doersching both singled. The 23-year-old bounced back with back-to-back six-pitch strikeouts. A hit by pitch loaded the bases, and a groundout stranded them.

The bullpen for the Loons allowed one run and three hits in the final four innings. Reinaldo De Paula struck out two stranding runners on the corners in the sixth. Lucas Wepf needed just six pitches for a 1-2-3 seventh. The right-hander failed to finish the eighth. A walk, hit by a pitch, and Lucas Dunn single put a TinCap on every base. A five-pitch walk to Carlos Luis, made it 4-2.

Benony Robles took over from there and secured the final five outs and his 12th save. A strikeout and groundout left three Fort Wayne runners on in the eighth. Kervin Pichardo's single was the lone hit off Robles, who punched out the final two batters, 1-2 in the TinCaps lineup.

The Loons' fifth run came in the eighth. Three straight two-out walks and Nick Biddison hit by an 0-2 pitch, plated a run.

Game two between Great Lakes and Fort Wayne is tomorrow Wednesday, August 23rd, first pitch at 7:05 p.m. It is the penultimate Paws and Claws night, with 50% off White Claws, and all dogs are invited.

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.