Three-Run Seventh Dooms Loons in Peoria
In the first four innings of the Great Lakes Loons’ contest Thursday night, they scored two runs on five hits, and were tied with the Peoria Chiefs at two apiece after the fourth inning. After that, the bats fell cold. The Loons batters had just one hit in the final
In the first four innings of the Great Lakes Loons’ contest Thursday night, they scored two runs on five hits, and were tied with the Peoria Chiefs at two apiece after the fourth inning.
After that, the bats fell cold.
The Loons batters had just one hit in the final five frames of the game, and Peoria knocked in three runs in the seventh inning to defeat Great Lakes, 5-2, Thursday night at Dozer Park in Peoria, Ill.
Great Lakes (2-3) got out to an early 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning.
Peoria (2-3) responded immediately, claiming their first lead of the game in the bottom of the second on two walks, two singles, and a sacrifice fly. Both runs were surrendered by Great Lakes right-handed starter Kyle Hurt, who walked three and struck out three in his 1 2-3 innings.
The Loons tied things up in the fourth inning. Ching, who had just one hit prior to the game, collected his second hit of the contest, and moved to third on a double from
In the fifth and sixth innings, it was a battle of the bullpens, as neither team had a hit in those innings. The Loons held Peoria scoreless in innings three through six, thanks to 1 1-3 inning from righty Jordan Leasure, and two spectacular frames from southpaw Julian Smith, who struck out four over those frames.
Loons lefty Jose Hernandez (L, 0-1) tossed a perfect sixth inning, but gave up three runs on four hits in the decisive seventh inning. Noah Mendlinger got his first hit of the season, a double to lead off the frame, and he was plated by Masyn Winn’s second triple in as many games. A pair of singles scored the other two runs, and the Chiefs had a 5-2 lead which proved to be the final score.
Great Lakes made it interesting in the final frames. Nick Trogrlic-Iverson (W, 1-0) walked the bases loaded in the eighth inning, which put the tying run on base for the Loons. He came out of the inning with two outs, and Ryan Loutos (SV, 1) came in and struck out the final batter of the inning. Two Loons reached base in the ninth against Loutos, including on a single from
The win for the home side evens up the series at one game each, with four games more to play. This is the first road series of the young season for Great Lakes, the first home series for Peoria, and the only week that these teams will meet in Peoria. The Chiefs visit Midland, Mich., for a six-game series in the second week of August.
This series continues Friday night with a doubleheader to make up Wednesday’s rainout. Each game of the doubleheader will be seven innings long, for a total scheduled billing of fourteen innings. Game one will begin at 6:00 p.m. Eastern, with Loons righty Cole Percival getting the start, facing off against Peoria’s Michael McGreevy, a fellow right-handed pitcher. The second game begins 30 minutes after the conclusion of the first. In game two, Chiefs right-hander Gordon Graceffo will toe the rubber, against a starter yet to be named for Great Lakes. Coverage of the doubleheader Wednesday begins on ESPN 100.9 FM with the Loons On-Deck Circle, driven by Garber Chevrolet Midland, beginning at 5:45 p.m.
The Great Lakes Loons have been a 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.