Loons overcome Wizards’ magic to end skid

by Cory Butzin

Starter Kyle Smit was roughed up early, but the Loons’ bullpen settled them down. And despite the cold weather, their hitters warmed up to cap an improbable comeback scoring eight straight runs to come away with a 9-6 win Wednesday, to get their first win in the series.

“It’s a nine inning game,” said Loons manager Juan Bustabad. “You’ve just got to keep battling every inning. You just never know what can happen. We were down 6-1 and it looked like we might lose the game, then all of the sudden a base hit here, another hit here… and we have more life.”

Things were going well for Great Lakes in the first, as they were playing sound fundamental baseball, possibly due to the presence of Hall of Fame manager and Dodger legend Tommy LaSorda.

“To have him here is so cool,” said Loons infielder Parker Dalton. “That guy is just so good for baseball. I grew up watching him when I was younger and it’s kind of neat to see.”

After a quick 1-2-3 top of the first, Erik Kanaby got it going offensively for the Loons punching a pitch into right field. Justin Fuller reached base when he was hit by a pitch, and Great Lakes almost loaded the bases when Alfredo Silverio laced a pitch down the third base line which seemed destined for the corner, but Wizards’ third baseman Justin Baum made a diving snag and got the force out at third. Andrew Lambo followed that with a single to bring Fuller home and give Great Lakes the early 1-0 lead.

They didn’t keep the lead for long though.

After sitting down the first batter of the second, Justin Baum singled for Fort Wayne. Two batters later, Smit fielded a slow grounder but threw the ball over the head of first baseman Brian Matthews and into the bullpen scoring Baum. Shane Buschini followed with a double to give the Wizards a 2-1 lead.

They weren’t done though. An inning later, Smit was roughed up again when Baum launched a two-run shot to center field to push Fort Wayne’s lead to 4-1.

That signaled the end of the night for Smit as he was replaced by John Dutton.

“(Smit) struggled today and threw a lot, a lot of pitches,” Bustabad said. “That’s why he only threw three innings. He pitched great in Dayton… but he still hasn’t got that “W” that we’re looking for.”

But that didn’t signal the end of the Wizard’s offense.

In the fourth, Great Lakes walked two batters and both of them came around to score when Angel Mercado launched a fly ball off the right field wall to make it 6-1 Fort Wayne.

Defensive miscues actually worked in the Loons favor in the bottom of the fourth, when the Wizards committed two errors that allowed Brian Mathews to reach base and score on an Alex Garabedian double, and Travis Vetters to score on a second throwing error to bring Great Lakes within three. Garabedian then scored on a double by Dalton to make it 6-4.

Both teams settled down into some semblance of normalcy over the next two innings until the seventh inning when Great Lakes cut further into their deficit.

After Silverio and Lambo opened the bottom of the seventh with two singles, Silverio was able to scamper home when Baez singled to make it 6-5.

With the go-ahead run on second, Bustabad turned to power-hitting Jaime Ortiz to advance the runners. His sacrifice moved them both into scoring position. Garabedian walked to load the bases and give the Loons a great chance to bring in the tying run.

But Parker Dalton didn’t want to tie. He wanted the lead.

Dalton hit a sharp liner to third base, but Baum couldn’t handle it and the ball caromed into left field allowing Lambo and Baez to score putting Great Lakes on top 7-6.

“I took one step and I heard a word or two in the dugout , so I stopped running,” Dalton said. “Then when it went off his glove, it kind of curved toward the foul line so I could see it. Then just like with anything in baseball, anything can happen.”

Fort Wayne threatened in the eighth putting two runners on base, but All-Star closer Miguel Ramirez took over for Given Kutz and got the final out to end the inning.

In the bottom of the inning, Fuller and Lambo walked to put two men on and Baez tripled to send them home giving the Loons a couple of insurance runs and a 9-6 lead.

And Ramirez closed out the win for the Loons.

“Weaker teams usually pack it in when they’re down like that,” Dalton said. “We’re stronger than that and not one of those teams.”

Tyler Davis (1-4) allowed three runs in an inning of work to pick up the loss dropping Fort Wayne to 21-25.

Meanwhile Kutz pitched 1 2/3 scoreless innings to record his first win as the Loons improve to 22-23.

The two teams square off again Thursday at 7 p.m. at Dow Diamond.