Loons Push Past Dragons 7-6

Midland, Mich. – The Great Lakes Loons (60-33) (15-13) made the most of the Dayton Dragons’ (48-46) (15-13) starter Hunter Parks lasting just one pitch, getting seven runs off six hits in a 7-6 win on an 88-degree partly cloudy Friday night at Dow Diamond.

Hunter Parks for Dayton was ejected after hitting Taylor Young with the first pitch in the bottom of the first. Parks hit Young with a pitch on the Fourth of July in Dayton. It led to both players being held back by coaches and teammates, but no ejections. Dragons manager Bryan LaHair was disqualified as well after arguing the decision today.

Dayton turned to Jayvien Sandridge, who completed a season-high three innings. He allowed two hits both drove in runs. Damon Keith walked on four pitches and was driven in by a Kenneth Betancourt single into right field. In the third, Alex Freeland reach on a base on balls, and Yeiner Fernandez doubled. Both Betancourt and Fernandez hit the ball the opposite way.

The Dragons down 2-1, demolished two home runs in the fourth. Hyun-il Choi's first three innings, saw one run off two hits. Austin Callahan began the fourth with a 407-foot home run that soared over the right field fence. After a walk and a strikeout, Christian Suarez entered. With two on Jack Rogers laced a three-run homer over the right field fence, making it 5-2 Dayton.

Great Lakes responded with five runs in the fourth. The first four batters reached, Luis Diaz walked, and Kenneth Betancourt singled. Chris Alleyne followed that up with an RBI double, and Jake Vogel plated Betancourt and Alleyne with a two-run double, to tie the game.

With one out and Vogel on second, Alex Freeland stepped up and punished one to deep right field. The go-ahead deep fly was hit 410 feet and sent 103 miles per hour off the bat. Great Lakes led 7-5 up until the ninth.

Adolfo Ramirez, the winning pitcher, went 3.2 innings, forcing an inning-ending 4-6-3 double play in the sixth and a 6-4-3 double play in the eighth. The right-hander had one in his 26 innings pitched before tonight. Ramirez hit a batter with two outs in the eighth, and Michael Hobbs finished the inning.

The right-hander bent but did not break in the ninth. Hitting the first batters faced, Hobbs came back with a three-pitch strikeout. Two walks followed, the second from Edwin Arroyo bringing the score to 7-6. The 24-year-old earned his third save of the season forcing a flyout and striking out Ruben Ibarra has five hits in the series, including two home runs.

Great Lakes and Dayton play game five tomorrow Saturday, July 29th. The first pitch is at 7:05 p.m. It is Nickelodeon SpongeBob SquarePants Night presented by MyMichigan Health featuring an appearance from the Krusty Krab’s Frycook, and a Fireworks Loontacular brought to you by Farm Bureau Insurance of Michigan.

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.