Timber Rattlers Take 8-7 Tussle in 10 Innings

Midland, Mich.– The Great Lakes Loons (41-19) and Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (24-35) traded ninth-inning home runs to extend the game to extra innings where Wisconsin netted the lone run on a Joe Gray Jr. RBI single winning 8-7 on a cloudy 73-degree Friday night at Dow Diamond.

It was the third straight game of the series decided by one run, the first two going to Great Lakes. Both teams donned their Copa de la Diversion identities, the first time the Los Pepinillos Picantes del Norte made their appearance in Midland in 2023.

The Loons had a 5-0 lead after three innings. Chris Alleyne started the scoring, leading off the game with a 392-foot blast over the right field fence.

The first two batters in the bottom of the second reached, Griffin Lockwood-Powell on a walk and Taylor Young on a double. Lockwood-Powell was plated on a Max Hewitt sacrifice fly to left field, and Young came across on a Frank Rodriguez sac fly to center.

The third saw four Great Lakes singles, with Damon Keith and Taylor Young driving home runs. Wisconsin’s starter Stiven Cruz completed three innings.

Maddux Bruns toed the rubber for the Loons. The left-hander tossed 3.2 scoreless innings gaining two strikeouts in the fourth before issuing his second walk and ending his day. Franklin De La Paz walked two but stranded three with a strikeout.

Orlando Ortiz surrendered a season-high in runs. After an infield RBI single in the fifth and a scoreless sixth, the right-hander couldn’t push past the seventh. After two singles and a walk, Wisconsin loaded the bases with one out. Ortiz earned the second out with a sacrifice fly to right field off the bat of Darrien Miller that made it 5-2.

Ben Metzinger stepped up and sliced a 2-2 pitch into right field. It snuck under the glove of Damon Keith and rolled letting the two runners home to score and Metzinger to advance to scoring position. An Eduardo Garcia single tied up the game at five.

Yeiner Fernandez delivered the go-ahead hit in the bottom of the seventh. A single that skipped over the glove of the Timber Rattlers' second baseman. Alex Freeland scored after a base knock, moving to second on a wild pitch and then in motion when Fernandez made contact.

The two ninth-inning home runs, extended the game, both being hit with two outs. Reinaldo De Paula trying to complete a four-out save allowed a single and then a two-run homer from Alex Hall, his sixth of the season that made it 7-6 Wisconsin.

With the Timber Rattlers one out away from a win, Chris Newell extended the game rocking the first pitch he saw 390 feet to the right field lawn. His fourth home run in his 14th game at the High-A level.

In extras, Michael Hobbs forced two groundouts, but couldn’t put away Joe Gray Jr., who gained his fourth hit of the night to make it 8-7. With a runner starting on second, the Loons 6-7-8 were sent down 1-2-3 in the tenth by Brannon Jordan, who blew the save and then earned the win.

The Loons tomorrow night Saturday, June 17th will take on the Timber Rattlers with a first pitch time of 7:05 p.m. Dow Diamond becomes a Dinosaur Display as it is Jurassic Ballpark night presented By MyMichigan Health and a Fireworks Loontacular brought to you by Farm Bureau Insurance of Michigan.

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.