Loons Hang On for 6-5 Win over Whitecaps

COMSTOCK PARK, Mich. – The Great Lakes Loons (39-38) (5-6) had enough in the tank to close out the West Michigan Whitecaps (39-39) (8-4) 6-5 on an 81-degree sunny Wednesday night at LMCU Ballpark.

- Josue De Paula and Noah Miller started the game with back-to-back singles. A Kyle Nevin fielder’s choice, made it 1-0.

- Great Lakes plated three runs in the third. Noah Miller doubled, followed by a Kyle Nevin RBI single. Sam Mongelli, in his first game of the season batting fourth, belted a ball over the left field fence. Mongelli hit his third of the season and the Loons' first in July.

- Patrick Copen, in his second start as a Loon, stranded three through his first two innings. A one-out walk followed by an RBI single put West Michigan on the board. A 6-4-3 double play ended the third.

- The Loons grew their lead to 5-1, with two in the fifth. Kyle Nevin knocked home his third RBI of the night, with an RBI double. The double scored De Paula, who reached on an error. With two outs and two strikes, Jake Gelof pushed a ball to right field for an RBI base hit.

- Two singles and two walks aided the Whitecaps' second run, scored in the fifth. Kelvin Bautista would finish the frame, working out of the bases loaded with a strikeout.

- West Michigan pulled within one in the seventh. With two and two out, Luke Gold ripped a 0-2 pitch up the left-field line for a two-run double. An error by Great Lakes plated Gold.

- Michael Martinez and Kelvin Ramirez combined for the final six outs. Martinez worked around a walk and an errant pickoff attempt, finishing the eighth with a strikeout. Ramirez struck out the first two in the ninth. Luke Gold came close to tying it, putting a ball to the track, that was run down by Chris Newell. Newell was a defensive replacement in the eighth.

Rounding Things Out

Kyle Nevin stole two bases. He entered tonight with six in his first 71 games played.

Up Next

The next nine games for the Loons are at Dow Diamond. Tomorrow, Thursday, July 4th is West Michigan facing Great Lakes. The first pitch is at 7:05 pm. It marks the first ever 4th of July Block Party on Main with a performance by America’s Got Talent semifinalist Grace Good. It is a Thirsty Thursday brought to you by JP O’Sullivan, and postgame features a Fireworks Loontacular presented by the Farm Bureau Insurance of Michigan. The Loons will wear their Dodgers Bluesday uniforms.

The Great Lakes Loons have been 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 Sports Radio 100.9 The Mitt. For tickets or information about the Loons, call 989-837-BALL or visit Loons.com.