Loons Pitching Powers Through Lugnuts

Lansing, Mich. – The Great Lakes Loons (58-28) and Lansing Lugnuts (39-47) played their third straight game decided by two runs, tonight Loons' pitching was the difference. A 3-1 Great Lakes win on a 78-degree partly cloudy Thursday night at Jackson Field.

Jerming Rosario pitched the bottom of the fifth through eighth stranding six Lugnuts on base. The right-hander struck out Joshwan Wright after a two-out single from Colby Thomas in the fifth. A lineout to right field kept runners on the corners in the sixth. In the seventh, Dalton Rushing caught T.J. Schofield-Sam trying to steal, and a double play in the eighth locked up Lansing’s chances.

Benony Robles tossed a seven-pitch ninth inning. The left-hander converted his ninth save in his tenth opportunity, matching Jake Pilarski for the most by a Loon this season. Pilarski is now with Double-A Tulsa.

On offense, Great Lakes had two extra-base hits. Damon Keith led off the sixth with a wall ball double smoked 359 feet and hit 107 miles per hour to left field. Luis Diaz was next-up and grounded out to the shortstop, which was thrown low and rolled into the Lugnuts dugout, scoring Keith. Chris Newell plated Diaz with a sacrifice fly to centerfield, both runs came off Lansing’s Brock Whittlesey.

Both teams first run came in the fourth inning. Chris Newell lifted a sacrifice fly to deep right to score Luis Diaz, who reached on a single and moved to third after a Kenneth Betancourt base knock. The Lugnuts' lone run came off a Brennan Milone sacrifice fly to left field. Two Lansing baserunners were left on by Michael Hobbs in the frame.

Ronan Kopp started the game for Great Lakes. The Dodgers No. 18 prospect struck out four over three innings. The only two runners to reach were walks. The left-hander now has a 2.92 ERA in 52.1 innings pitched.

Through 12 games played this season, Great Lakes and Lansing have each won six games. Game four in the series is tomorrow Friday, July 21st. The first pitch is at 7:05 p.m.

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.