Loons Work Overtime, But Fall To TinCaps
MIDLAND, Mich. - In a script that featured a little bit of everything on Tuesday, the only part missing for the Great Lakes Loons was a storybook ending.
Instead, it was Fort Wayne's TinCaps who stole the final scene and came away with a 2-1 win in 12 innings over the Loons at Dow Diamond. The game's first pitch was delayed 56 minutes by rain and the contest didn't finish until shortly before midnight.
The Loons never led, but tied the game in the eighth thanks to an RBI single by Paul Hoenecke - who could only be used as a pinch hitter due to a bum ankle. They nearly won it in the same inning when, with two outs and the bases loaded, Alex Santana hit a slow bouncer to third baseman Dustin Peterson.
Peterson threw quickly to second to force Loons baserunner Malcolm Holland on a close play in which base umpire Chris Lloyd appeared to first give a safe signal, but then changed his mind and ruled the runner out.
But the ultimate damage came in the top of the 12th, when Franmil Reyes led off with a home run off of Loons reliever Mark Pope - the first home run Pope has allowed all year. The Loons put runners on first and third with two outs in the bottom of the inning, but Holland was called out on strikes on a 3-2 pitch from TinCaps reliever Josh Richardson.
"It's hard to fault our guys because they kept battling," said Loons manager Bill Haselman. "We had our chances but so did they. We did a nice job getting out of some jams."
The Loons were without Hoenecke - their leading home run hitter - for the majority of the game, along with second baseman Jesmuel Valentin, who ranks among the Midwest League leaders in runs scored and triples. Valentin is on the 7-day disabled list with a bruised thumb.
"You never know in this game," said Haselman. "I mean, Valentin could have been out there and hit four rockets for outs. You just don't know. Sure, we'd love to have him out there, but there's no guarantee things would have been different."
Their bench was so thin Tuesday that pitchers Ralston Cash and Pope were both forced to bat when a pinch runner for Webster Rivas in the eighth eliminated the designated hitter. Cash struck out while trying to bunt in the 10th, while Pope successfully put down a sacrifice bunt in the 12th.
The Loons used six pitchers and struck out a total of 17 TinCap batters, including seven by starter Greg Harris. Fort Wayne used five, including starter Cody Hebner, who threw six scoreless innings.
The TinCaps scored their only run off of Harris in the third inning, when Josh VanMeter singled with one out, and came home on a double by Trea Turner. The first round pick of the San Diego Padres in the June draft out of North Carolina State, Turner came into the game batting .491 in 14 games for Fort Wayne.
Fort Wayne loaded the bases in the ninth with one out but failed to score, and again in the 11th with no outs before Loons reliever Matt Campbell escaped with three consecutive strikeouts.
The loss dropped the Loons to 17-20 in the second half but they remain firmly in the Eastern Division playoff race. With two playoff spots open among six teams, they're just a game behind Lansing and a half game behind Lake County in the battle for those spots.
The Loons and TinCaps resume their series tomorrow night (7:05 p.m.). Brandon Martinez (1-6, 4.72 ERA) will get the start for the Loons and will be opposed by Fort Wayne's Kyle Lloyd (4-4, 4.46 ERA).
Tomorrow is Hump Day Happy Hour at Dow Diamond, and fans 21-over can enjoy drink specials from the time gates open to one hour after the official game start. It's also Bark in the Park Night in which fans can bring their dogs to the park. There will be a Prettiest Pup contest prior to the game, while the K-9 Friz-B Crew will provide between-innings entertainment. Dogs and their owners may watch the game from the lawn seating areas.
The Great Lakes Loons are an eighth-year Single-A partner of the Los Angeles Dodgers. For tickets and more information, call 989-837-BALL or visit loons.com.