Avans Superb in Series Win

MIDLAND, Mich. - Drew Avans led the Great Lakes Loons with three runs batted in on the way to an 8-2 victory against the Bowling Green Hot Rods on Friday at Dow Diamond. 
In the rubber match, the Loons (26-28) came out on top to take the series and cap off a successful 6-1 homestand. The team has won nine of its last 10 and are 25-13 since July 7. Great Lakes remains 0.5 game back in the Midwest League Playoff race.
 
Great Lakes and Bowling Green traded runs in the first inning before the home team broke the tie on a two-run home run from Avans, his first in a Loons uniform. Romer Cuadrado's RBI single three innings later made it a 4-1 edge. 
The Hot Rods (31-23) scored their second and final run in the top of the seventh. Jim Haley singled to drive home Taylor Walls off Loons reliever Austin Hamilton.
Gerardo Carrillo got the start for the Loons and was superb after issuing a run to the Hot Rods in the first inning. He went 6.0 innings and struck out three, giving up three hits and three walks. Carrillo (W, 1-1) lowered his ERA from 2.03 to 1.70. The 19-year-old is listed as the No. 27 prospect in the Los Angeles Dodgers farm system. 
Despite giving up three runs, Bowling Green starter Paul Campbell was solid for the 5.0 innings he threw on Friday. Campbell was unable to receive offensive help, causing him to take a loss and fall to 3-1 on the season. 
Once reliever Andrew Gist entered the game for Campbell in the seventh, the Loons put the nail in the coffin with four runs for an 8-2 lead. Avans, Devin Mann and Brock Carpenter hit three-straight RBI doubles before Gersel Pitre put the Loons ahead by six with a single to right field. 
Avans finished 2-for-4 with three RBI, one walk and two runs scored. The top four hitters in the Loons order combined to go 8-for-18 with two walks and five RBI. Pitre, hitting in the seventh spot, logged three hits in four attempts. 
Darien Nunez entered the game in the top of the ninth and struck out three hitters to secure a six-run victory at Dow Diamond.
 
The Loons travel on the road to play the South Bend Cubs for a three-game series that begins Saturday. Chicago Cubs star Yu Darvish, who has been out since late May with an arm issue, will make a rehabilitation start in South Bend against the Loons on Sunday. 
Great Lakes returns home for a three-game series with the Fort Wayne TinCaps from Tuesday to Thursday.
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.