Dayton hangs on for 5-4 victory
MIDLAND -- In an attempt to overcome a 4-1 deficit, the Great Lakes Loons made a late charge Friday night, scoring three runs in the game's final two innings, but came up short in a 5-4 loss to the Dayton Dragons on Friday night.
The Loons pulled within two runs in the bottom of the eighth with a Bobby Coyle RBI-double to left field, but the Dragons erased Great Lakes’ progress with a run of their own in the top of the ninth. Again the Loons dug deep and managed to start another rally in the ninth by loading the bases with no outs and down three runs.
Loons infielder Blake Dean, who had singled to lead-off the eighth inning, hit into a groundball double play that scored a run but took the game-tying run off the bags. Great Lakes did not go down without a fight as Nick Akins hit a single to centerfield to cut the Dragon’s lead to one. Akins continued to second base on a fielding error by the centerfielder. But with the tying run in scoring position, Coyle struck out to end the game.
“I was really proud of the guys and the way they played,” Loons manager John Shoemaker said after the game. “Even though we lost these last two games, I see a little bit different attitude with our team. It’s a little bit more of a focused team and it’s going to carry us a long way if we keep playing like that and keep that kind of energy.”
The Loons were the first to score in the contest, receiving a gift run in the first inning on a wild pitch by Dayton starter Daniel Renken. The Dragons answered with the equalizer in the second by working leadoff hitter Donald Lutz, who single to get on, around the bases and finally scoring on Jaren Matthews’ single to right. The Dragons pulled ahead in the seventh, hitting for the cycle against Loons reliever Bret Montgomery for the 4-1 lead.
Garrett Gould started for the Loons and limited the Dragons to one run on four hits through six innings, striking out four and walking none. Montgomery followed with his four-hit three-run inning, before Brant Stickel closed the game out by allowing one run in two innings of work. The pitcher of record was Dayton reliever Daniel Wolford, who threw two innings and allowed one run to pick up Dayton’s sixth win in a row. Despite giving two runs to the Loons in the ninth, Dayton’s Blaine Howell picked up the save, his third.
The Loons will look to avoid the series sweep on Saturday in game three against Dayton. RHP Red Patterson (1-1, 4.40) will deliver the 6:05 p.m. first pitch for the Loons, while Josh Smith (1-1, 1.06) will throw for Dayton. Saturday is Saginaw High School Spirit Night, as well as a Deloitte K’s for Kids Night. The Loons game will be preceded by the Loons Pennant Race. Race Day registration begins at 8 a.m. at Dow Diamond; the 5k will begin at 11:00 a.m.
The Great Lakes Loons are a fifth-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.
