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Fireworks Start Early in 12-1 Loons’ Victory

Valera grand slams, January and Vranesh also homer in third-straight win
May 22, 2021

MIDLAND, Mich. – Now riding a season-best win streak of three games, the Great Lakes Loons (8-9) defeated the Lake County Captains (10-7) by a final score of 12-1. The eleven-run win was the largest margin of victory for Great Lakes this season, on top of 12 runs on 12

MIDLAND, Mich. – Now riding a season-best win streak of three games, the Great Lakes Loons (8-9) defeated the Lake County Captains (10-7) by a final score of 12-1. The eleven-run win was the largest margin of victory for Great Lakes this season, on top of 12 runs on 12 hits, also both season-highs. As a team, the Loons finished 6-for-15 with runners in scoring position on the night, plating eight of their 12 runs in the first two innings.

Shortstop Leonel Valera battered the first GL grand slam of the season with two out in the first inning to straightaway center, the 29th in Loons’ franchise history. Valera hit a grand slam in 2019, also coming in a Loons’ uniform. After Ryan January led off the second with his first homerun of the year, Joe Vranesh hit his second homer of the season on a three-run blast. Both Valera and Vranesh finished with a season-high four runs batted in. Vranesh’s OPS now sits at a team-best .939. Vranesh is now 7-for-17 in the Lake County series.

Kevin Malisheski (W, 1-0) struck out two batters in his two innings, surrendering no runs. Left-handed starter Robinson Ortiz abruptly walked off the field with an apparent arm injury with two outs in the fourth, not allowing a run. Great Lakes roughed up the Captains’ Matt Turner (L, 0-2) with eight runs in four innings, responsible for only four. An error continued the bottom of the first, allowing Valera’s grand slam. Great Lakes’ pitchers held Lake County to three hits, finishing 1-for-6 with runners in scoring position.

Andy Pages doubled twice, en route to a 2-for-3 night, walking once and scoring all three times. 2019 returner Luke Heyer got on the board with a double, his first hit of the season. January followed up his solo shot with a two-out, three-RBI double in the fifth.

After surrendering the first two games of the series to Lake County on Tuesday and Wednesday, Great Lakes puts themselves in a position to take the series with Sunday’s finale. Dodger second-rounder Clayton Beeter (4 IP, 0 ER) is scheduled to make his fifth start of the season for Great Lakes, while Lake County sends a fellow righthander in Mason Hickman (8.2, 3.32 ERA) to the mound.

Kids eat free and run the bases after every game at Dow Diamond this year, presented by Serra Toyota of Saginaw. Sunday is also STEM Day at the ballpark presented by the Midland Center of the Arts, a kids-focused day with science, technology, math and engineering. First pitch of the series finale is scheduled for 1:05 p.m. EDT, with live radio coverage beginning at 12:35 p.m. EDT on ESPN 100.9 FM with the Loons-On Deck Circle, built by Three Rivers.

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.