Great Lakes Loons in 2016 Midwest League Playoffs after Walk Off Win

MIDLAND, MI- In one of the most exciting wins in team history the Great Lakes Loons today beat the West Michigan Whitecaps in a 1-0 walk off victory in the bottom of the 9th inning with two outs.   The win secured the 2016 Midwest League playoffs for the Loons who have now reached the playoffs in 5 of their 10 years at Dow Diamond.   In a pitchers dual that went into the bottom of the ninth before the first run of the game was scored it was a classic game in the making.

Caleb Ferguson pitching for the Loons who was 1-4 at this point in the season.  He would twirl 6 strong innings allowing no walks or runs to the Whitecaps.  He would also record 4 strikeouts.   Jose Santos would finish the game with three shutout innings and had 6 strikeouts.   The Loons would only have 4 hits on the day in an uneventful day up until the ninth inning in the quickly played game. 

After shutting down the Whitecaps (who also qualified for the MWL Playoffs from the 1st half ) through 9 innings it time for a little excitement at Dow Diamond.  In the bottom of the ninth inning in front of 5,394 fans and Los Angeles Dodger Hall of Fame manager Tommy LaSorda things got started.  Omar Estevez got things started with a single which followed by a Gage Green sacrifice bunt to move Estevez to second base.   After an out that brought catcher Jake Henson to the plate.   Henson would stroke a sharp single run up the middle that neither Brett Pirtie or Leo Laffitta could dive for and get.   Estevez was off and racing towards home and when center fielder Jose Azocar bobbled the ball Estevez slide across the plate.  The celebration started with the Loons players racing onto the field mobbing Jake Henson.   The crowd went nuts and celebrated the victory along with players. 

After a rough first half of the season the Great Lakes Loons now have turned things around and have been playing better baseball in the second half of the season.  They now stand at 35-34 in the second half with one game remaining tomorrow on Labor Day at 2:05p.m at Dow Diamond.    The team overall record is 64-75 below .500 baseball but they are now in the playoffs where anything can happen.    The Loons will start the Midwest League playoffs on Wednesday September 7th at Dow Diamond against the Bowling Green HotRods in the best of 3 game series.   The next two games will be in Bowling Green Kentucky in the first round playoffs.