Loons Reclaim Division Lead, Down Whitecaps 4-2

Midland, Mich. – The Great Lakes Loons (22-13) have jumped back on top of the Midwest League East standings after defeating the West Michigan Whitecaps (21-14), 4-1, on a chilly 53-degree Wednesday night at Dow Diamond.

Great Lakes tacked on all four of their runs in the bottom of the sixth. Taylor Young squared a leadoff double to right field, the first time the leadoff batter reached. Alex Freeland was hit by a pitch and then three walks followed. Damon Keith’s and Ismael Alcantara brought home runs. With one out, Jake Vogel knocked home two runs with a single, his first multi-RBI game.

The Loons now have 15 walks in 49 plate appearances with the bases loaded this season.

Maddux Bruns made his Dow Diamond debut. The left-hander walked a career-high five Whitecaps but only permitted one run over four innings. In the top of the second, Bruns threw 21 pitches only eight strikes with three free passes. He forced a 5-4-3 double play, to complete the frame.

Through the first five innings, the Loons had just two hits. A double by Damon Keith in the fourth, extended his hit streak to seven, and an Austin Gauthier single in the fifth, made it a 24-game on-base streak for the 24-year-old.

After a 1-2-3 fifth delivered by Reinaldo De Paula, Orlando Ortiz took over. The right-hander surrendered five of the six West Michigan hits, but just one run. A double play ended the sixth, a strikeout with a runner on concluded the seventh, and a groundout to second halted the eighth.

Austin Murr doubled to try and spark a Whitecaps comeback in the ninth. Dillion Paulson, 2019 Loon, slashed an opposite-field single to plate Murr and make it 4-2. Ortiz got the next two batters, both the potential tying run, to groundout to second.

Game Three is tomorrow Thursday, May 18th, with a 6:05 first pitch. Thursday is Thirsty Thursday with 50 percent off draft beer Presented By John P. O'Sullivan Distributing.

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.