Loons Withstand Dragons Late Push, Win 8-5

DAYTON, Ohio. – After four unanswered from the Dayton Dragons (15-20), the Great Lakes Loons (21-14) posted three in the top of the ninth, to confirm an 8-5 win and snap a four-game losing skid on a partly cloudy 70-degree Wednesday night at Day Air Ballpark.

The game took three hours and 25 minutes, the longest game for the Loons this season. Surpassing Saturday’s three hours and 21 minutes between Lansing and Great Lakes, a Lugnuts 11-8 win in 11 innings.

Maddux Bruns achieved a season-high seven strikeouts. The left-hander went four innings, working around a baserunner in three of his four frames. Bruns permitted just two hits.

Chris Newell drove in three of the game’s first four runs. He drove in Jake Gelof after he reached on an eight-pitch walk. Luis Rodriguez, with two outs, followed up, lining a double 102 mph off the bat to left field.

In the third, Great Lakes gained two more. Dylan Campbell walked, and Gelof doubled. With two outs, a 2-2 pitch, the fifth straight with the previous four fouled off, was roped into right. Both runners scored. Newell has four RBI in the first two games of the series. A Kyle Nevin RBI single in the sixth made it 5-0.

The Dragons delivered the next four runs. Two singles started the inning, with a Carlos Jorge RBI sacrifice fly to center field. The runner at second was thrown out by Newell trying to go to third base which limited the damage.

Livan Reinoso bent but didn’t break in the seventh. A walk and hit by pitch, set up Hector Rodriguez, who roped a triple driving in two runs. Yan Contreras as a pinch-hitter, knocked home Rodriguez, to pull within one. A 10-pitch punchout and flyball got Reinoso through the frame.

The Loons needed and got insurance in the ninth. Two walks and a single allowed by Luis Mey loaded the bases. A wild pitch scored one, and a two-run two-out RBI single from Sam Mongelli brought the score to 8-4. Ruben Ibarra's solo homer was the only run in response from Dayton in the bottom of the ninth.

Rounding Things Out

Bruns came two strikeouts short of a career-high nine, which also came at Day Air Ballpark. Bruns went five scoreless on July 6th, 2023.

Up Next

Great Lakes and Dayton play game three of the series tomorrow Thursday, May 16th. The first pitch is at 7:05 pm.

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.