Loons Win Eighth in a Row, Survive Wisconsin Comeback Attempt

Appleton, Wis. – The Great Lakes Loons (16-7) tallied nine runs off 12 hits, enough to get past the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (15-8) 9-8 on a 63-degree partly cloudy and windy Wednesday at Fox Cities Stadium.

For the third straight game, Noah Miller hit a homer and drove in three runs. This game, Miller went yard twice, a two-run shot in the first and a solo blast down the right field line in the sixth. The 21-year-old has four home runs in his last three games and is tied for the team lead with Chris Newell at five. Newell started the third inning with a deep fly to center field, his fifth.

Great Lakes scored seven runs through the first five innings. Alex Freeland roped an RBI double in the second to keep his OPS, top three in the league at 1.079. An error pushed across a run in the fourth. Jared Karros was given run support but didn’t need it. For his fifth straight start, he went five innings. The right-hander permitted no runs, allowing just three hits.

Entering the bottom of the sixth down 8-0, Wisconsin started a comeback. They tacked on two an RBI single, and a Madison Jeffrey wild pitch. In the seventh, Wisconsin pulled within one rallying back with six consecutive hitters reaching with two outs, five via single. Jerming Rosario after retiring two of his first three faced was removed after 33 pitches.

The Loons responded with an insurance run in the eighth. Kyle Nevin walked and was moved over by a Chris Newell sac bunt. Dylan Campbell sliced a single to left field, his third hit of the game and first RBI.

Up 9-7, Christian Suarez worked a scoreless bottom of the eighth, working around two walks with two strikeouts. Lucas Wepf was called upon for the ninth, inducing a double play after a leadoff single. Wisconsin’s Terence Doston belted a 2-0 pitch over the right field wall to make it 9-8. After a HBP, Wepf, once again forced a groundball to end the game.

Rounding Things Out

Two Loons have hit a home run in three straight games this season. Miller from April 28th-May 1st and Yunior Garcia from April 20th-24th. Miller is the first Loons with a multi-homer game in 2024.

Up Next

The Great Lakes Loons go for their ninth consecutive win, tomorrow Thursday, May 2nd, against Wisconsin. First pitch is at 7:40 p.m. at Fox Cities Stadium.

The Great Lakes Loons have been 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 Sports Radio 100.9 The Mitt. For tickets or information about the Loons, call 989-837-BALL or visit Loons.com.