Pitching Propels Loons to Series Sweep

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - The Cedar Rapids Kernels entered a three-game series against the Great Lakes Loons on Wednesday night as the hottest team in the Midwest League, winners of eight straight. By the end of Friday night, the Loons had turned the Kernels into the coldest team in the league by sweeping them with a series finale win, 7-0.
After being a team that had to outscore opponents in the first half of the season, the Loons have become a team that out-pitches opponents. On Friday night, John Rooney (W, 5-2) continued an excellent trend of Loons starting pitching by throwing six scoreless innings on 79 pitches. Rooney's season ERA is now 2.63 and as a group Loons starters have an ERA of 2.60 since the All-Star Break,
Along with the combined shutout by Rooney, Guillermo Zuniga, and Jasiel Alvino the bats came alive for Great Lakes as well. James Outman, Jacob Amaya, and Hunter Feduccia all went deep with Amaya's and Feduccia's being of the three-run variety. Amaya's homer was a bit more special as it came in the city that his late grandfather, Frank, once played in as a Brooklyn Dodgers farmhand in 1957.
With the win, the Loons improve to 11-1 against the Western Division this season and finish off their seventh sweep of the year.
A six-game road trip carries on for the Loons on Saturday night in Peoria, Illinois against the Chiefs, a St. Louis Cardinals affiliate. The probable pitching matchup features Loons starter Robinson Ortiz and former Central Michigan Chippewa Mike Brettell for the Chiefs. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. CDT with radio pregame coverage dawning at 6:05.
UPCOMING PROMOTIONS
July 17: Grand Slam Game
July 18: Christmas in July
July 19: Latino Night w/ FIREWORKS
July 20: 9 Innings of Winning w/ Zooperstars! and FIREWORKS
July 21: Inclusion Day
July 22: Skip Work Day
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.