Lugs Slug Loons, Win Series

LANSING, Mich. - A furious six-run rally in the seventh inning brought the Loons within a run, but Lansing's bats never wavered in a series-clinching 10-6 win before a crowd of 8,642 at Cooley Law School Stadium in the state capital.
The Lugnuts (Blue Jays), who clinched a playoff berth based on their first-half record in the Midwest League, belted three home runs, six extra-base hits and put a runner on base in every inning against the beleaguered Loons' pitching staff.
The Loons slide into their longest losing streak of the season after allowing three home runs in a game for the first time since May 22 at Bowling Green.
Lansing appeared to have the game in hand with a 7-0 lead to start the seventh inning. Switch-hitter Chavez Young had homered for the Lugnuts in a three-run third inning, and a dropped pop-up by Loons' second baseman Devin Mann helped the Lugnuts to three more scores in the fourth. Righty starter Maximo Castillo flummoxed the Loons over six shutout innings, which tied his career high.
In the seventh, however, reliever Andrew Deramo allowed an ostensibly innocuous one-out single to Brock Carpenter before losing the strike zone en route to four consecutive walks. The right-hander departed with the bases loaded and the score 7-2 Lansing.
Hailed from the bullpen in an unenvious spot, Dany Jimenez allowed three straight hits as the Loons continue to roar back. Rookies Josh McClain and Devin Mann hit consecutive run-scoring knocks, McClain's a two-RBI double and Mann's an RBI single, to make the score 7-5; Carlos followed through with a Texas League single over second to improbably pull the Loons within a run.
Jimenez steadied and struck out the next two batters to preserve Lansing's lead after an 11-batter surge by the Loons in the seventh. The Lugnuts offense seemed otherwise unperturbed and continued to bash the Loons over its final two innings to reestablish control in the game. On the heels of the Loons' big inning, Lansing brought eight men to the plate in the bottom of the seventh and received a two-run home run from Brock Lundquist, part of a 41-pitch inning that made the score 9-6.
Ryan Noda arrived to the party late, but homered to center field in the eighth to put the icing on Lansing's cake.
The Loons now try and stave off a series sweep in Sunday's finale at 1:05 p.m. EDT.
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.