Great Lakes Shut Down Cougars, 5-0

MIDLAND, MI - The Great Lakes Loons (67-32) pitched a 5-0 shutout against the Kane County Cougars (49-50) Monday at Dow Diamond, sealing the series win, the team's ninth in a row.

With only two hits against the Cougars left-handed starter Justin Marks after six innings and two outs, the Loons broke through with five hits in the seventh to up the Loons lead to 5-0. Brian Cavazos-Galvez started the damage in the inning by belting a home run to left field, which hit near the same spot of his two-run homer in the second inning.

"He pretty much carried the team today," Loons manager Juan Bustabad said of his outfielder. "He's swinging at strikes, swinging at better pitches, and seeing the ball good...He's driving in some big runs for us and tonight it showed."

Cavazos-Galvez's homer in second extended his Loons franchise record hitting streak to 24 consecutive games.

"It's fun and it's exciting," Cavazos-Galvez said of continuing his streak. "[Kane County] actually mixed their pitches in well tonight, but they missed two and I took advantage of them [for homers]."

Next up was first baseman Jaime Ortiz, who singled to right and was driven in on a Brian Ruggiano triple. After Gorman Erickson was walked by Marks, Bryant Hernandez slapped a single up the gap at second to score Ruggiano for the Loons final run of the game and end Marks' night. The southpaw received the loss with a final line of five runs on six hits over 6.2 innings, fanning six and walking two.

Two Loons pitchers, starter Brett Wallach and reliever Jordan Roberts, combined for the team's ninth shutout of the season. Wallach (6-0, 3.72) limited the Cougars to four hits through six innings of work, while Roberts tossed a hitless final three frames to notch his first save of the year.

The Loons head south Wednesday for a brief three-game series against the Lansing Lugnuts. RHP Allen Webster (9-6, 2.78) will start for the Loons, while RHP Dave Sever (4-6, 4.68) will throw for Lansing. The Loons will return to Dow Diamond on Saturday, July 31, to host a three-game series with Fort Wayne. Saturday's game will feature another postgame Fireworks Loontacular powered Dow Corning.

The Great Lakes Loons are a fourth-year Single-A partner of the Los Angeles Dodgers and members of the Midwest League. For more information about the Loons, visit Loons.com or call 989-837-BALL.