Loons let five-run extra-inning lead slip away in loss

Just when Great Lakes thought they had put Beloit away Tuesday, the Snappers snapped back.

The Loons scored five runs in the top of the 12th inning to break a 6-6 tie, but Beloit scored six in the bottom half of the inning to walk away with a wild 12-11 win.

The Loons’ offense plated five runs in the 12th thanks to home runs from Juan Apodaca, Matt Berezay, and Tommy Giles, and a run-scoring single off the bat of Juan Rivera.

Unfortunately for the Loons, though, they had run out of relief pitchers the inning before and had to summon James Peterson from right field to pitch. Peterson struck out both men he faced in the 11th, but ran into control problems in the 12th with a five-run lead.

Peterson surrendered back-to-back walks before giving up Chris Cates’ double. Two more walks and a Wilson Ramos single later, the Snappers pulled to within two with the bases loaded and no outs. Peterson proceeded to strike out first-rounder Chris Parmalee before another bases loaded walk – this time to Matt Betsill – forced Loons’ manager Lance Parrish to summon in another position player, Adolfo Gonzalez, from the bullpen. Gonzalez surrendered the game-tying run on a single by Eli Tintor and the winning run came around to score when Berezay bobbled the ball in left.

Clayton Kershaw started for the Loons and allowed two runs (one earned) in four innings while striking out seven. He left with the Loons leading 5-2. Kershaw was one of seven Loons’ pitchers in the game, including position players Peterson and Gonzalez. Loons’ pitching walked 13 and struck out 15.

Rivera and Carlos Santana had four hits each to pace the Loons offense, which recorded a franchise-record 20 hits in the game. Eduardo Perez went 2-for-7 to extend his hitting streak to a Loons’ record 16 games.

The Loons have an off day Wednesday before beginning a four-game series in Appleton, WI, against the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers. Game time is scheduled for Thursday at 8:05 p.m. ET.

A box score of Tuesday’s game is available at milb.com.