Dayton Downs Great Lakes 6-5, Behind Four Home Runs

Midland, Mich. – The Great Lakes Loons (71-49) (26-29) permitted four home runs, including a two-run ninth-inning longball from Carlos Jorge, the decider in the Dayton Dragons (61-60) (28-27) 6-5 win on a 65-degree partly cloudy Tuesday night at Dow Diamond. The game was delayed 30 minutes due to inclement weather.

Dayton delivered four home runs, the most in a single game against Great Lakes this season. Peter Heubeck struck out six. The Dodgers' No. 26 prospect entered with four in his first 7.1 innings in the Midwest League. With two outs in the third inning, Ruben Ibarra doubled to left field. Austin Hendrick, next-up, hit a 377-foot home run to right field to open the scoring.

After two scoreless innings from Sauryn Lao, Juan Morillo permitted back-to-back home runs. Ruben Ibarra smoked it 436 feet to left-center, and Austin Hendrick hammered a 1-1 pitch 446 feet straightaway to center, to make 4-0.

The Loons had four baserunners through the first five innings. With two outs in the sixth, Yeiner Fernandez walked to force Dragons’ starter Kevin Abel out of the game. The next four reached. Griffin Lockwood-Powell singled to centerfield with a throw coming toward third base pushed off the glove of shortstop Edwin Arroyo into foul territory and let Fernandez score.

Dalton Rushing came up next and walked on six pitches. Damon Keith cleared the bases with his first triple in 2023, a two-run three-bagger that pulled Great Lakes within one. Owen Holt collected a strikeout to strand two and end the inning.

Franklin De La Paz tossed a scoreless top of the seventh, striking out two. The Loons took their first lead, Alex Freeland's 416-foot deep fly to right field brought the score to 6-5 in the bottom of the seventh. Taylor Young scored after walking on five pitches. Freeland has nine home runs in 96 games.

With a one-run lead, Ronan Kopp kept the Dragons down with two strikeouts, needing just 11 pitches. Since starting a relief role, the Dodgers No. 17 prospect has pitched 6.1 straight innings scoreless.

Benony Robles got the ninth but could not gain the final three outs. Carlos Jorge’s two-run homer is his first in his 14th game with Dayton this season. Robles is now 12-for-15 in save opportunities at the High-A level. Jake Vogel led off the bottom of the ninth, but a 6-4-3 double play took away the threat. Dragons reliever John Murphy earned the save.

Game two of the six-game series is tomorrow Wednesday, August 30th. The first pitch is at 7:05 p.m. Wednesday is the final Paws N Claws night of the 2023 regular season. Bring your pup to the park and enjoy 50% off White Claws all game long.

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.