Lambo leads Loons to walk-off win

In a battle featuring two of the Midwest League’s top pitchers, since the All-Star break, the Great Lakes Loons had to wait to till extra innings to cash in against the Cedar Rapids Kernels’ bullpen. Andrew Lambo’s bases-loaded walk helped the Loons defeat the Kernels at Dow Diamond by a score of 2-1 in 10 innings.

Neither team could solve Kernels hurler Jordan Walden nor Loons starter Bryan Morris as each team was held scoreless until the seventh inning. Cedar Rapids tacked on the game’s first run in the seventh when Garrett White’s wild pitch allowed Tyler Johnson to score to make it 1-0 Kernels.

The Loons responded in the bottom of the eighth with an RBI single up the middle, by Lambo, make it 1-1.

In the tenth, Brandon Taylor led things off reaching first on a throwing error by Kernels third baseman Jay Brossman. Alex Garabedian followed and doubled down the third-base line, putting runners at second and third. After an intentional walk to Jovanny Rosario and a strikeout of Preston Mattingly, Lambo came to the plate and after falling behind in the count 0-2, drew a bases-loaded walk to win the ballgame.

Walden pitched beautifully for the Kernels, allowing a run in 7 2/3 innings on the hill, walking one and striking out nine. A.J. Ford picked up the loss, dropping his record to 2-1.

Bryan Morris continued his hot stretch, pitching five scoreless innings, walking one and striking out eight. In his last four appearances (21 1/3 innings), Morris has a 0.84 ERA. Miguel Ramirez pitched out of a two-on, two-out jam in the tenth and picked up the win, improving his record to 2-6 on the season.

The Loons travel to Geneva, IL to take on the Kane County Cougars at Phillip Elfstrom Stadium beginning Wednesday night. The Dodgers’ second-round draft pick in 2008, Josh Lindblom, will make his professional debut for the Loons and will be followed by Justin Miller. Game time is 7:30 p.m.