Loons Find It's Not Easy Beating Green

COMSTOCK PARK, MI - Jacob Scavuzzo hit a solo home run, accounting for the lone run scored by the Great Lakes Loons Wednesday in a series-opening loss to the West Michigan Whitecaps, 4-1.

Scavuzzo clubbed his fourth homer of the season, a deep drive off the scoreboard in left leading off the fourth inning, to pull the Loons to within a run at 2-1. But the Loons could not advance a runner beyond second from that point forward, mustering just three singles after that and going quietly 1-2-3 in the fifth, sixth and ninth innings.

WM starter Chad Green (1-2) allowed just five hits - including Scavuzzo's shot - to notch his first win of the season. Zac Reininger and Jose Felix split the final three innings to finish off Great Lakes. Felix saved his third contest of the season.

Brandon Martinez (1-1) took the loss in just his second start of 2014. He lasted a season-best five innings, and just one of the three runs he allowed were earned. The Whitecaps took advantage of an error by Brandon Trinkwon to score two runs in the first inning on RBI singles by Dominic Ficociello and Wynton Bernard.

Francisco Contreras added an RBI hit in the fourth. And Ficociello brought in another with a long homer - his fourth - with one out in the ninth.

Ralston Cash and Jordan Hershiser worked scoreless innings in relief. Jacob Rhame surrendered the home run to Ficociello in his one inning.

The Loons (28-31) and Whitecaps (33-26) meet for the middle game of the series Thursday night at 7:00pm. Loons righty Scott Barlow (1-1, 3.93 ERA) is slated to start for the Loons. Righty Jonathon Crawford (2-1, 2.27) - a 2014 Midwest League all-star game selection and the Detroit Tigers' first round selection from 2013 - gets the start for the home team.

The game will be broadcast live on ESPN 100.9-FM and ESPN1009.com.

The Great Lakes Loons are an eighth-year Single-A partner of the Los Angeles Dodgers. For tickets and more information about the Loons, visit Loons.com, or call 989-837-BALL.