The Great Lakes Loons blew a 4-run lead dropping game 2 of the (best of three) Midwest League eastern division semi-finals 8-4 to the Bowling Green Hot Rods (Tampa Bay Rays) at Bowling Green Ball Park in Bowling Green, Kentucky tonight.
The two teams will meet back in Bowling Green tomorrow for the third and final game to decide who will advance in the MWL playoffs.
The Loons jumped out to an early lead, plating two runs in the top of the first inning when Saige Jenco and Brendon Davis led off with back to back doubles. Jenco scored on Davis' double and Omar Estevez followed with an RBI single to score Davis for a 2-0 lead.
The Loons would add four more runs in the third inning when Logan Landon (1) and Darien Tubbs (1) hit a pair of 2-run home runs for a 6-2 lead, but their bats would quiet as they only managed 3 more hits over the remaining six innings.
Jorge Santos (0-1, 10.80 ERA) fell victim to the hard hitting Hot Rods for his first loss of the post-season giving up 4 runs (2 of which were earned) on 3 hits and 2 walks while striking out 3 batters through 1.2 innings. The Hot Rods would score all four runs in the seventh inning.
Karch Kowalczyk replaced Santos in the seventh with one out and managed to get out of the inning, but a throwing error and a missed catch allowed two of the four runs to score. Kowalczyk was charged with the blown save.
Tony Gonsolin struck out one batter pitching a 1-2-3 eighth inning. Davis and Estevez would reach on back to back 2-out walks in the top of the ninth inning, but Landon flied out to end the game.
Jordan Sheffield and Dennis Santana combined for the piggy back start tonight. Sheffield (9.00 ERA) gave up two runs on 4 hits through 2 innings, and Santana (6.75 ERA) gave up 2 runs on 3 hits and 1 walk while striking out 1 batter through 2.2 innings.
The Loons have one more chance to clinch in game 3 of the best of three. If they win, they would return to Dow Diamond on Sunday for game-1 of the MWL eastern division finals vs. the winner of the South Bend Cubs (Chicago Cubs) and the West Michigan Whitecaps (Detroit Tigers).
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Sep 10, 2016
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