Series Starts with Sour Taste

CLINTON, Iowa - In their first-ever appearance in the Midwest League Championship Series, the Great Lakes Loons had an eight-run 4th inning to blame as the Clinton LumberKings took Game 1 on Wednesday night 16-6 at Ashford University Field. With the loss, the Loons trail 1-0 in the best-of-five series with Game 2 scheduled for 7:30 p.m. EDT in Iowa.

With the Loons leading 5-3 heading into the frame, Clinton sent 13 batters to the plate and despite just four hits, they were aided by five combined walks from pitchers Dennis Santana (L, 0-1) and Ivan Vieitez. Two wild pitches gave free bases to the LumberKings and the Great Lakes defense committed three errors in the field. All told, Clinton would lead 11-5 after four innings and not look back from there.

Seven different players were used as pitchers in the game for the Loons, including utility man Gage Green who pitched the 8th inning. Each pitcher gavee up at least one run in the ballgame and as a staff, walked 10 batters.

It wasn't for the lack of a hot start for Great Lakes as DJ Peters took advantage of back-to-back singles by Saige Jenco and Brendon Davis in the 1st inning when he launched a ball over the left field fence with two outs to put the Loons in front 3-0 early.

However Clinton would respond in the bottom half of the first frame when Chris Mariscal started the game with a walk and advanced to third base on a double by Luis Liberato off Loons starter Jordan Sheffield. They both then scored on wild pitches to keep their team in the game.

After the LumberKings tied the game in the bottom of the 3rd inning, Great Lakes would move back in front on a Davis single that scored Saige Jenco from second base. Fellow teenager Omar Estevez continued his hot postseason with a moonshot of a triple to center field to put the Loons up 5-3. On the night, Davis, Peters and Jake Henson had multi-hit games for the Loons.

Upon scoring the eight runs in the 4th, Clinton would add another run in the 5th before Central Michigan product Zach McKinstry hit his first professional home run out to right field for the Loons. 

Luiz Gohara started for the LumberKings and lasted 3 2/3 innings and was tabbed for five runs on six hits. He too, struggled with free passes as he issued four walks and had five strikeouts. Rohn Pierce (W, 1-0) benefitted from being in the game when the LumberKings took a stranglehold on the game as he got the win.

Coverage of Game 2 from Iowa will begin with Chris Vosters and Matt DeVries at 7 p.m. EDT on ESPN 100.9-FM with the Loons On-Deck Circle powered by Dow Corning. The broadcast will be available on over-the-air radio, online at Loons.com, and by using the Tune In app on a smartphone or tablet.

Tickets for Game 3 against Clinton are on sale at Loons.com. The Dow Diamond box office will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. throughout the week with tickets available in person and over the phone.

The Great Lakes Loons, hosts of the 2017 Midwest League All-Star Game, have been a Single-A partner of the Los Angeles Dodgers since the team's inception in 2007 and are in their 10th season. For tickets and more information about the Loons, call 989-837-BALL or visit Loons.com.