Loons Split Doubleheader, Hit Three Home Runs

Midland, Mich. – The Great Lakes Loons (65-41) (20-21) and the West Michigan Whitecaps (54-51) (22-18) both took a game in a Saturday doubleheader; West Michigan won 12-4 in game one, and Great Lakes 3-2 in game two on a 73-degree partly cloudy evening at Dow Diamond.

The Whitecaps led game one from the onset, getting a three-run home run from Brady Allen to deep left field in the first inning. A double steal brought home a fourth run. Peter Heubeck, in his Dow Diamond debut, went three innings with four earned runs.

West Michigan extended their lead to 6-0 in the fourth inning with a solo home run from Andrew Jenkins and an error aiding another. The Loons cut the lead in half, with three runs in the fourth. Luis Guerra, Jake Vogel, and Taylor Young all singled loading the bases. A double play pushed across the first run. With Vogel on third, Yeiner Fernandez cracked a homer to deep left field, making it 6-3.

Jackson Jobe, the Tigers' No. 3 prospect, completed the fifth. He earned the win and struck out eight Loons.

Taylor Young added the only other Great Lakes tally, launching a solo home run to deep left-center field in the bottom of the seventh. The Whitecaps netted six insurance runs, scoring four in the top of the seventh. Great Lakes relievers threw a combined 66 pitches in the final two innings.

In game two, West Michigan jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first. A Justin Wrobleski wild pitch scored the run. The Dodgers' No. 21 prospect went the next three allowing only three baserunners, punching out four Whitecaps.

Jake Vogel, who went 2-for-3 in game one, in game two he demolished an 0-1 pitch 388 feet, a two-run homer to give the Loons a 2-1 lead in the third. The next-inning Yeiner Fernandez led off with a triple and was plated by a Griffin Lockwood-Powell RBI single.

Benony Robles and Michael Hobbs combined for the final nine outs. Robles struck out the side in the fifth. Hobbs hung on for the final four outs. West Michigan had the potential tying run reach base, after a leadoff double and RBI single from Gage Workman. The right-hander induced a flyball to right field to end things.

Sunday is Lou E. Loon's Birthday with guests including characters from PBS Kids, presented by My Michigan Health and Kids Eat Free & Run The Bases brought to by EGLE.

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.