Loons fall in extra innings

Steve Singleton lifted a sacrifice fly down the left field line to score Chris Parmalee with the game-winning run in the bottom of the tenth inning Monday to give the Beloit Snappers a 7-6 victory over the Great Lakes Loons.

Parmalee began the inning with a single to right off Loons’ reliever Thomas Melgarejo before advancing to second on a sacrifice bunt. The Loons then intentionally walked Matt Betsill before bringing in Miguel Sanfler from the bullpen.

With runners at first and second, Sanfler was charged with a balk, advancing the runners 90 feet, and setting up Singleton’s heroics. Melgarejo (4-6) was charged with the loss.

The Loons took a 5-1 lead with a five-run outburst in the fifth inning, which included a leadoff solo home run for Francisco Lizarraga and a two-run single by Juan Apodaca.

The Snappers responded with a five-run sixth, stringing together seven consecutive hits off starter Steven Johnson and Melgarejo.

Matt Berezay drove in the game-tying run with an eighth-inning triple scoring Francisco Lizarraga, who reached on an error.
The Loons drop to 43-56 overall and 9-20 in the second half.

The series wraps up Tuesday afternoon in a game that features a matchup of two of the Midwest League’s top pitchers – Clayton Kershaw (7-4) for the Loons versus Cole Devries (7-3) for the Snappers.