Loons win fourth straight

Trayvon Robinson doubled down the left field line with the bases loaded and two outs in the top of the ninth inning to give the Loons a two-run lead Saturday night, as the Loons won their four straight game, deafeating Clinton 11-9.

Preston Mattingly had four hits to lead the Loons’ hit parade. Great Lakes (10-11) recorded a season-high 18 hits.

Trailing 2-0 in the fifth inning, Eduardo Perez tied the score with a run-scoring double. linton retook the lead with a four-run fifth inning, highlighted with a two-run double by Jose Vallejo.

But the Loons chipped away at the 6-2 Clinton lead with two runs each in the sixth and seventh innings. In the sixth, back-to-back doubles by Carlos Santana and Scott Van Slyke scored a run. Van Slyke scored on an RBI single by Elian Herrera.

In the seventh, Mattingly led off with a double and scored on a two-run home run by Josh Bell – his first of the season – to retie the game at six.

The LumberKings retook the lead in the bottom half of the seventh on a throwing error by Santana and led 8-6 heading into the ninth inning.

With two outs, the Loons pulled to within one run against Jon Hollis with a double by Matt Berezay, which forced manager Mike Micucci to call upon Tim Gudex, who blew a two-run lead in the second game of Friday’s doubleheader.

Gudex promptly walked David Sutherland and hit Herrera to load the bases for Trayvon Robinson. With a 1-2 count, Robinson lifted a fly ball down the left field line, clearing the bases to make the score 10-8. Mattingly followed with a single and Chad Tracy recorded an RBI ground out in the bottom of the inning to complete the scoring.

Michael Gardner (3-1) picked up the win with four innings of relief.

The Loons and LumberKings wrap up their four game series Sunday from Clinton, IA. The first pitch will be at 3 p.m.