Big hitting was the key to the Loons victory Wednesday
MIDLAND -- The Great Lakes Loons pounded out 10 runs on 13 hits against the Beloit Snappers Wednesday night to win 10-5 before 4,479 fans at Dow Diamond and improve to 54-40 on the season.
Beloit scored first on a pair of hits to lead off the third inning, but the Loons quickly bettered their opponent with four runs in the bottom of the fourth.
The Loons started the inning with two singles from Jon Garcia, batting second for the first time this season, and outfielder Bobby Coyle.
Blake Dean hit an 0-2 single into centerfield to score Garcia and tie the game 1-1.
“I’ve been feeling a lot better [about my swing],” Dean said after the game. “Lenny [Harris] talked to me a little, told me to quit worrying so much and just go up there and try to hit the ball hard. So that’s what I’ve been doing. I put a swing on it and results have been coming out of it.”
The RBI-single, Dean’s first of two hits on the night, extended his hit-streak to eight games, in which he is averaging .433 (13x30).
Later in the inning with two outs and two on, designated hitter Chris Jacobs connected for a deep fly ball that hit off the left field wall for a two-run double.
Jacobs scored on the next play, when Jesse Bosnik singled on a groundball that was fielded by Snappers shortstop Daniel Santana, who forced a throw to first that sailed high to advance Jacobs home on the error.
Up 4-1 the Loons tacked on another run in the sixth inning, the result of three singles.
The Snappers crawled back to within one run late, but the Loons stopped any chance of a comeback by putting up five runs in the bottom of the eighth.
Jacobs, Bosnik, David Iden and Casio Grider all had hits to right field in the inning, the last three grabbing an RBI in the process.
The team scored again on a bases-loaded walk and a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch.
Commanding the Loons from the hill was lefty Greg Wilborn, who pitched six strong innings in which he limited Beloit to one run on three hits across six innings.
He fanned six Snappers in the outing, picking up his second win in five starts for the Loons this season.
Ryan Acosta and Raul Burgos closed out the game for Great Lakes, combining to allow four runs over three innings with two strikeouts.
Burgos picked up his third save.
The Loons will play game two of their three-game series against the Beloit Snappers on Thursday.
Pitching for the Loons will be RHP Zach Lee (6-3, 3.21) against the Snappers LHP Ryan O’Rourke (2-2, 2.30).
