Friday, August 07, 2009 at 10:57 a.m.
Read more: Local, Great Lakes Loons, Midland, Michigan, Dayton, Dragons, Baseball, West Michigan, Whitecaps, Dow Diamond, Local Pro
DAYTON, Ohio - Four Great Lakes Loons players homered - although one was widely disputed - and the Loons erupted for 15 hits in a 10-1 trouncing of the Dayton Dragons Thursday night at Fifth Third Field. The win comes a day after the Loons were one-hit by three Dragons pitchers, it snaps a two-game losing streak, and it earns the Loons a split in the four-game series with Dayton.
The Loons scored runs in the first and second innings off Dayton starter Oscar Castro. In the first, Jaime Pedroza tripled with one out. He then scored on an RBI ground out by Angelo Songco. Then in the second, Anthony Hatch walked with one out and scored all the way from first on a double to center by Nick Buss.
The Loons got their first home run of the game in the fourth when Kyle Russell led off the inning with an opposite field shot. It was Russell's league-leading 24th long ball.
The Loons' big inning was the sixth. With Matt Wallach aboard, Anthony Hatch hit his seventh home run of the season. Later in the inning, with Chase Ware on in relief of Castro, Alfredo Silverio hit a long shot down the right field line. The ball appeared to be to the right of the foul pole, but the shot was ruled a three-run home run despite protests from Dragons players and manager Todd Benzinger to home plate umpire Gerald Klepacz, a local umpire filling in for injured regular Charles Billington.
Matt Wallach drove in the Loons' ninth run an inning later with a solo home run. Wallach finished the game with a team-high four hits. Hatch had three hits and two RBIs.
Dragons' reliever Ware recorded a rare feat in the eighth inning, striking out four batters in the inning.
Nathan Eovaldi started but left the game after just three scoreless innings. Ethan Martin (5-6) relieved Eovaldi and allowed a run in three innings to record the scorer's decision win. Jordan Pratt finished up the game for a three-inning save.
The Loons begin an eight-game homestand Friday against the West Michigan Whitecaps. Game time is 7:05 pm.
