Historic Sunday Lifts Loons Over Captains

EASTLAKE, OH – The regular season series concluded between Great Lakes and Lake County on Sunday at Classic Park when the Loons (55-47) defeated the Captains (54-48), 10-2. In their 24 matchups, Great Lakes outmatched the Cleveland Indians’ High-A Captains, 15 games to nine. Sunday’s win gave the Loons their eighth series victory of the season, and came as their 12th win in their last 16 ballgames.

Andy Pages tied Kyle Russell’s 2009 record of 26 home runs in a single Loons season when he went deep in the eighth inning. Eddys Leonard contended for the spotlight with his three HRs on Sunday, joining Cody Thomas (2017) and Niko Hulsizer (2019) as the third Loons player since 2007 to hit three home runs in a game.

Finishing 4-for-5 with his three HRs and a single, Leonard set a new Loons individual game-high with 13 total bases against the Captains. Jonny DeLuca set the previous marker with two HRs and a triple against West Michigan on July 31. Andy Pages set the previous record of 10 the night prior, with two long balls and a double.

Jesus Vargas fell an out away from his fifth quality start in the Sunday win, allowing two solo homers as his only runs allowed on five hits, walking none and striking out six in 4 2/3 innings. In his two starts against Lake County, Vargas allowed just three earned runs in 9 2/3 innings, walking none and striking out 14 batters.

Great Lakes threw an arsenal of arms from Jose Hernandez (W, 1-1), Kevin Malisheski, Mike Mokma and Jose Rudolfo. The four relievers delivered the final 4 1/3 innings in scoreless fashion for the Loons, striking out six batters and allowing no walks. Lake County tallied just two hits in the final 4 1/3 frames, finishing 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position.

The Loons taxed Captains starter Mason Hickman (L, 7-7) for seven runs on nine hits, despite three of them being earned. Hickman lasted five innings on the mound, exiting with no walks and nine punch outs. Five HRs for Great Lakes raised the weekly total to 12 against the Captains.

Brandon Lewis gave the Loons their first lead in the top of the fourth, ending a 1-0 deficit with a two-run HR. The Sunday HR for Lewis was his second long ball of the series, coming as his 17th of the season. Lewis drove in his third RBI in the next inning with two outs, scoring Pages from second on a single. After Jorbit Vivas scooted a ball into right to bring in Lewis, Leonard knocked his second HR of three of the day.

The Loons benefited from seven of their 10 runs coming in the middle fourth and fifth innings. A four-run fifth looked bleak with the bases empty and two outs for Pages, who reached on a throwing error from Captains’ Christian Cairo, the game’s only error. Lewis scored him in the following at-bat, then stole his second bag of the season.

Of Lake County’s 20 losses at Classic Park this season, eight of them belong to Great Lakes in 12 games played.

Sunday’s series win for Great Lakes was their third-consecutive, error-free game. This season, the Loons defense has coughed up the fewest errors in the High-A Central with 86 in their 102 games.

The Loons look forward to the conclusion of the 2021 regular season, with 12 of their upcoming 18 games to take place at Dow Diamond. Great Lakes welcomes the Fort Wayne TinCaps to town on August 31, hoping to continue their run at a post-season spot before season’s end on September 19. First pitch on Tuesday is scheduled for 7:05 P.M. EDT at Dow Diamond, with gates opening at 6:35.

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.