Newell’s Late Home Run Nabs 4-2 Win in Dayton

Dayton, Ohio. – The Great Lakes Loons (52-24) for the second-straight game received power late, a two-run eighth-inning home run from Chris Newell to drop the Dayton Dragons (39-38) 4-2 on an 88-degree partly cloudy Wednesday night at Day Air Ballpark.

Chris Newell stepped up with the game tied at two, two outs, and Damon Keith aboard at first after a single. The 22-year-old who had 19 homers this season, five through 27 games with the Loons belted a 3-2 pitch off Carson Rudd 392 feet to deep right field. The game-winning hit was the lone extra-base hit for Great Lakes on the night.

Jerming Rosario matched a season-high in innings, yielding one run over five frames in his third Loons start. The right-hander struck out six Dragons, including the side in the fifth. The 21-year-old retired 13 of the next 15, after Dayton’s two-hitter Austin Hendrick slammed a solo shot over the right field fence in the bottom of the first.

Great Lakes offensively tied the game in the third and took a 2-1 lead in the fourth. Facing Dayton’s Chase Petty, who entered with a 1.13 ERA through 32 innings. The right-hander couldn’t complete four innings for the first time with the Dragons.

In the third, Max Hewitt singled to begin the inning, and Taylor Young with one out laced a ball to left field to put two on. A fielder’s choice put runners on the corners with two outs, Yeiner Fernandez slapped a groundball off the diving glove of Dayton’s third baseman to make it 1-1.

The fourth began with two walks, Damon Keith on five pitches and Griffin Lockwood-Powell on four. Max Hewitt rifled a single to right field, to score Keith and push Petty out of the game.

Christian Suarez worked a scoreless sixth, but a leadoff walk issued in the seventh came around to knot up the score. After a sac bunt and groundout, Mat Nelson moved to third and was plated by a Jack Rogers single.

Franklin De La Paz pitching with the lead in the eighth, worked a 1-2-3 inning. Lucas Wepf, in his second High-A appearance, shut the door in the ninth. The right-hander earned the save, facing the minimum.

The Loons have taken the first two games of the series and their last four in a row. Game three in the six-game series will be tomorrow Thursday, July 6th. 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.