DeLuca Double Delivers Fifth Straight Loons Win

MIDLAND, Mich. – For the second straight game, the Great Lakes Loons surrendered a lead to the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers.

Sunday afternoon at Dow Diamond, they got their second straight game-winning double.

The hero this time was Jonny Deluca, who hit a two-run RBI two-bagger in the sixth inning to give the Loons their fifth consecutive win, 3-2, and keep themselves firmly in the hunt for the first-half playoff spot.

Great Lakes (38-25) scored in the first inning for the seventh time in the last eight games. Diego Cartaya walked before an Alex De Jesus one-out single, then a hit batsman loaded the bases with two outs for Imanol Vargas. He drew his 35th walk of the year to drive in the first run of the game – the Loons took a 1-0 lead.

Wisconsin (34-28) evened up the score in the third inning. Arbert Cipion led off the frame with a triple, then was driven in by an Ethan Murray sacrifice fly to tie the game at one.

That was the only run allowed by Loons righty starter Ben Casparius in his longest start at the High-A level. Casparius went four innings of one-run ball, allowing five hits and a walk while picking up four strikeouts.

The Timber Rattlers, High-A partner of the Milwaukee Brewers, took the lead for the first time in the game in the fifth inning after four batters in a row reached base against Antonio Knowles. He was removed from the game in favor of Robbie Peto (W, 4-0), who shined for the majority of the rest of the game. Peto recorded the final two outs of the fifth inning, stranding all three inherited runners, and kept the Loons in the game.

Great Lakes, the Los Angeles Dodgers’ High-A affiliate, wasted no time in tying the game. On the first pitch of the fifth inning, Kekai Rios blasted a solo homer, his third of the season, to knot the game at two.

An inning later, the Loons took the lead for good. With two outs and nobody on, Vargas worked a nine-pitch walk, fouling off three pitches before earning first base. He advanced to second on a wild pitch, then stole third, before DeLuca came through on a full count with a line drive double to left field to give the Loons a 3-2 lead. All three runs were earned to southpaw starter Antoine Kelly (L, 1-3), who tossed 5 2-3 innings in his start. Kelly allowed four hits and four walks and struck out six batters.

Meanwhile, Peto mowed through the Wisconsin order. He ended up with 4 1-3 innings of one-hit baseball, ceding two walks and striking out seven Timber Rattlers in his scoreless outing. Peto made way for Ryan Sublette (SV, 5), who entered with a runner on first and two outs in the ninth inning. Sublette needed just two pitches to induce the game-ending flyout.

Great Lakes takes its second straight series by a five-to-one margin, after taking five-of-six in Dayton a week prior. The Loons entered Sunday trailing the Dragons by 1 1/2 games for the first-half playoff spot, and at least stay even with Dayton, whose game had not gone final by time of publication. The first half ends Thursday, and the division winner in each half in each division clinches a playoff spot. The Loons now head to Fort Wayne, Ind., for a six-game series against the TinCaps. The set begins Tuesday at 7:05 p.m. Follow along all series long on ESPN 100.9-FM, beginning with the Loons On-Deck Circle, driven by Garber Chevrolet Midland, at 6:50 p.m. Tuesday.

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.