Four-Run Fifth Propels Loons Past TinCaps 

Midland, Mich. – The Great Lakes Loons (55-26) reached seven straight batters in a four-run fifth inning to top the Fort Wayne TinCaps (43-39) 6-3 on a 78-degree partly cloudy Saturday night at Dow Diamond. With the win, the Loons stay tied with the Clearwater Threshers (Low-A Phillies) for the best record in Minor League Baseball.

Fort Wayne’s starter Victor Lizarraga retired the first 13 batters he faced, including six strikeouts. The right-hander could not complete the fifth inning.

With one out in the bottom of the fifth, Luis Diaz grounded one to centerfield, the first Loon to reach. Chris Newell and Chris Alleyne worked back-to-back six-pitch walks. With the bases loaded, Max Hewitt hit a sharp groundball into left field to plate two. Jake Vogel next-up was hit by a pitch to load the bases for Taylor Young.

Young, for the second game in a row, sliced a single to make it a 3-2 game. The 24-year-old had the walk-off single last night. The single tonight pushed Lizarraga out of the game for Ethan Routzahn. Routzahn inheriting bases loaded faced Dalton Rushing, who punished the first pitch he saw to right field to plate Hewitt. Great Lakes scored four runs on four hits to take a 4-2 lead.

In the bottom of the sixth, the Loons plated two runs on two hits. Luis Diaz walked to begin the inning and was plated after a Chris Alleyne triple to right field. Max Hewitt’s third RBI was a sacrifice fly to left field that allowed Alleyne to come across, the 25-year-old’s first multi-RBI game.

Maddux Bruns started for Great Lakes and permitted two runs over four innings. The Dodgers No. 15 prospect gave up his second home run in 39.2 innings, a first-inning two-run home run to Nathan Martorella. Martorella is tied for the Midwest League lead with 14.

The next three innings saw three walks but no runs. The left-hander retired the last five he battled, including two in a row after loading the bases in the top of the third.

Christian Suarez tossed a 1-2-3 fifth inning. He allowed a leadoff single to Martorella in the sixth, Reinaldo De Paula then came in allowing a RBI double to Carlos Luis but then responding with two strikeouts.

Great Lakes pitching punched out eight batters in the final three innings. Michael Hobbs notched a career-high five strikeouts through two innings. Benony Robles struck out the side in the ninth. Fort Wayne managed just three baserunners in the final three innings.

The Loons attempt to sweep the TinCaps in the final game of a three-game series tomorrow Sunday, July 16th. The first pitch is at 1:05 p.m. Every Sunday all kids are invited to run the bases presented By EGLE, and tomorrow is a kids club takeover brought to you by MyMichigan Health.

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.