Great Lakes takes 2-1 lead in the Midwest League Championship series

MIDLAND, MI- The Great Lakes Loons returned to Dow Diamond for Game #3 of the Midwest League Championship series and promptly defeated the Clinton (IA) Lumberkings 4-0.   The Loons returned home after clinching the Eastern Division title of the Midwest League after playing the first two games in Clinton, Iowa.    The Championship series had the first two games in Iowa and the last 3 games at home in Midland, Michigan.  The League Championship is the best out of five games.  

The Loons split the first two games at Ashford University Field on Wednesday and Thursday.   The first game saw the Lumberkings prevail in a slugfest 16-6 and then the Loons got some solid pitching from Leo Crawford in  a 4-0 shutout.   This would bring home the final three games of the Midwest League season in 2016 at Dow Diamond.  The Loons would only have to win 2 out of 3 games for their first Midwest League Championship.   This is the first time in the 10 year history of the team to compete for the title. 

In front of a crowd of a little over 3,400 rabid Loons fans the team would be in a battle for the first 5 innings before breaking the game open in the 6th inning.  In a pitchers duel between Kevin Gadea and Caleb Ferguson the game was scoreless after 5 innings.   The Loons would score 4 times in the 6th inning 3 hits and 2 timely walks.   Zac McKinstry would get the big blow of the inning a two run single to make the score 3-0 at that point.   Great Lakes tacked on one more run and then held the Lumberkings scoreless extending the shutout streak to 18 innings.   Andrew Istler would become the pitcher of record after following Caleb Ferguson in another fine outing. 

The series returns to action tomorrow (Sunday) at 2:05 p.m. at the Dow Diamond with Yadier Alvarez returning to the mound in hopes to clinch the first Midwest League Championship for the Great Lakes Bay region.  If the Lumberkings prevail then there would be a game #5 at Dow Diamond on Monday evening at 7:05p.m.