Great Lakes Sets Franchise Record, Totaling 20 runs in Rout of Beloit

Beloit, Wis. – The Great Lakes Loons (31-15) put on a show, making team history along the way. The Loons set four franchise records, in a 20-0 win over the Beloit Sky Carp (22-23) on an 87-degree partly cloudy Tuesday night at ABC Supply Stadium.

Great Lakes scored the most runs all-time in a single game with 20, had their largest margin of victory ever, the most extra-base hits in a game with 13, and the most doubles with 10.

The twentieth run came off a two-run home run to deep right field in the top of the ninth. Chris Newell, in his High-A debut, blasted his second home run of the day and third total hit of the game. Newell came in with 14 long balls in 41 games with the Low-A Rancho Cucamonga Quakes.

Every Loon in the starting lineup had a hit on their record after the fifth inning. In the top of the fifth, the Loons plated eight runs on six hits, both Great Lakes single-inning season-highs.

11 at-bats occurred in the fifth. Chris Newell walked to begin the inning with Jake Vogel ripping a double to left field to put two in scoring position. A Chris Alleyne sacrifice fly brought home, Newell. A Taylor Young single, plated Vogel. Dalton Rushing, with two on, slashed his third double of the game bringing in two more.

After an Alex Freeland walk, Damon Keith roped a two-run double to left-center field. Keith was the ninth batter of the inning and was followed by Chris Newell. Newell on a 0-1 pitch skied a ball to deep right field, his first High-A home run, in his fourth at-bat ever at the level. He made the score 15-0.

In the first four innings, the Loons offense put together two two-run innings, a three-run inning, and seven extra-base hits.

In the second, Damon Keith singled to lead off the frame. With one out, Jake Vogel jumped on the first pitch he saw and soared it over the left field wall. Vogel’s first homer of the year opened the scoring.

The top of the third, saw another leadoff hit, a double from Dalton Rushing. He advanced home from an Alex Freeland single that deflected off the second baseman and into right field.

Freeland stole two bases and with two outs trotted home after an opposite-field double down the left-field line from Chris Newell. Newell’s first hit in his first game as a Loon after the call-up from Low-A. The 22-year-old paced Great Lakes with five RBI.

The top of the fourth netted three runs. A two-run double from Dalton Rushing and an RBI double from Alex Freeland. Rushing finished with three hits, all doubles, and four RBI. Freeland had three hits, three RBI, and two stolen bases.

In the final three innings, the Loons tacked on three runs. Luis Diaz landed the tenth double of the game driving home Chris Alleyne.

Additionally, Great Lakes' pitching came to play. Yon Castro twirled five innings, his fourth five-inning start, the third in May. Franklin De La Paz worked the next two innings, ending his sixth with a groundball double play. Christian Suarez needed just 10 pitches for a scoreless eighth. Jack Dreyer’s ninth was a 1-2-3 to secure the fifth Loons shutout of 2023.

Great Lakes went 10-for-26 with runners in scoring position. It was the Loons' first game at ABC Supply Stadium since its opening on August 3rd, 2021.

With a win and a West Michigan loss, Great Lakes has a five-game lead in the Midwest League East Division. Game two of the six-game set is Wednesday, May 31st, first pitch is at 7:35 p.m. ET.

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.