Rugged Road Trip Wraps Up

BOWLING GREEN, KY. - A 9-1 loss for the Great Lakes Loons on Monday afternoon against the Bowling Green Hot Rods brought a rough seven-game road trip to an end. The Loons went 1-6 against the South Bend Cubs and Bowling Green Hot Rods this week.
For just the second time this season, the Loons (8-11, 44-44) have now lost five game in a row, while the Hot Rods (12-7, 43-43) are the hottest team in the Midwest League with a franchise record tying ninth straight victory. 
Midwest League Eastern Division All-Star Game starter Dustin May (L, 5-4) got the nod on the final day of the road trip, but was not his typical self. May, after striking out the side in the 1st inning on 10 pitches, gave up seven runs (six earned) over the next two frames. May eventually settled down allowing no runs on just one base hit in his final two innings of work.
Offensively for Bowling Green it was more Jesús Sánchez and Mike Brosseau. Sanchez, one of the top prospects in the Midwest League this season, had an RBI-single off May in the 3rd and finished the series with seven hits and seven runs batted in. Brosseau, an Oakland University product, gashed the Loons for nine hits in the set.
The Loons only run on the day came in the 7th inning off Hot Rods righty starter Willy Ortiz (W, 4-1) who went seven innings ceding just one run, on an RBI-single by Stevie Berman, on three total hits and four walks. Ortiz gave way to two more right-handers Peter Bayer and Orlando Romero who threw scoreless 8th and 9th innings out of the bullpen.
It was a struggle on both sides of the ball for the Loons this week and they were unable to muster any more than three runs in any game against Bowling Green. On top that, Loons pitchers surrendered 81 hits and 34 walks in 60 innings. The Loons team ERA on the trip was 6.15.
After a league-wide off-day on Tuesday the Loons are back in action on Wednesday to start a six-game homestand at Dow Diamond. Wednesday is a "Winning Wednesday" at the ballpark and the second of two Baseball BINGO nights this season. First pitch against the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. EDT.
The Great Lakes Loons are the 2016 Midwest League Champions and have been a Single-A partner of the Los Angeles Dodgers since 2007. Dow Diamond, home of the Loons, also houses ESPN 100.9-FM and the Michigan Baseball Foundation. For tickets and more information about the Loons, call 989-837-BALL or visit Loons.com.