Loons Keep Rolling with Win over Wisconsin

MIDLAND, MI - The Great Lakes Loons are on a roll. They defeated the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers 4-2 on Friday night at Dow Diamond to win their seventh straight game. Great Lakes took advantage of six early walks and denied Wisconsin a late rally to pick up the victory. Chris Roller drove in three runs for Great Lakes.
 
Chad McClanahan gave the Rattlers (12-14) a 1-0 lead with a two-out, RBI single in the top of the first inning. Connor McVey and David Fry had walked earlier in the inning to set the table. McClanahan ripped a single to right to score McVey for the first run of the game.

The Loons (15-12) took advantage of two walks in the bottom of the second to take the lead. Wisconsin starting pitcher Justin Bullock walked Dillon Paulson and James Outman to put two runners on base. Roller cashed them in with a two-out double and Great Lakes was up 2-1.

Bullock walked four batters in the fourth inning, but only gave up one run. The first three walks loaded the bases for the Loons and Roller's sacrifice fly to the track in right got the run home. Bullock's fourth walk of the inning re-loaded the bases. Logan Gillaspie relieved Bullock to get the final out of the inning.

Wisconsin knocked Loons starter Stephen Kolek out of the game with a two-out rally in the top of the fifth. McVey doubled and Yeison Coca beat out an infield single to put runners on the corners. Reliever Justin Hageman took over and the Rattlers stole a run with a little help.

Coca stole second and the throw deflected off him to short. McVey took off for the plate after the carom and scored without a play to bring the Rattlers to within a run.

Great Lakes added an insurance run in the bottom of the seventh. Three straight singles off Gillaspie with one out loaded the bases. Niko Hulsizer hit a weak grounder to short and the Rattlers could only get a force play at second and that allowed the run to score.

The Rattlers threatened in the top of the eighth as Coca walked and David Fry doubled to left-center with one out. But, both were left stranded in scoring position as reliever Austin Drury struck out the next two batters to maintain the two-run lead.

Drury closed out the Rattlers with a 1-2-3 ninth inning.
Game two of the series is set to go on Saturday afternoon. Aaron Ashby (1-1, 5,94) is set to start for Wisconsin. Great Lakes has named Andre Jackson (2-1, 3.48) as their starter. Game time is 1:05pm CDT. The radio broadcast is on AM1280, WNAM and the TuneIn Radio app starting with the Papa John's Pizza Pregame Show at 12:45pm. MiLB.tv subscribers can watch the game over the internet.

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