Loons hold on to take one from Dragons

Eduardo Perez homered twice and despite leading by five late in the game, the Great Lakes Loons narrowly held off a furious charge by the Dayton Dragons Sunday to take a 9-8 victory on the road.

Perez became the second Loons player with a multi-homer game this season. Kenley Jansen did it twice.

Perez’s first homer was a two-run, line drive shot to right in the fourth to give the Loons a 3-0 lead.

Dayton answered with four runs in the bottom half of the inning, highlighted by a two-run homer by Mike McKennon, his third consecutive game with a home run.

But the Loons put a five spot on the board in the sixth inning. Jaime Ortiz singled with one out to tie the game at four. Then with two outs and the bases loaded, Parker Dalton doubled in two, followed by a two-run double by Jessie Mier to give the Loons an 8-4 lead. Dayton pitchers Daniel Guerrero and Tyler Rhoden walked four runs in the inning.

One inning later, Perez hit an opposite field shot to up the Loons’ lead to five runs.

However, the Dragons never quit. They scored three runs (one earned) in the eighth against Bobby Blevins, capitalizing on a throwing error by Blevins and a two-run single by Neftali Soto. Miguel Sanfler entered to get the final out of the eighth.

Sanfler remained on the mound in the ninth. With one out, he surrendered a solo home run to catcher Devin Mesoraco to pull Dayton to within one. McKennon followed with a fly out to center. Miguel Ramirez relieved Sanfler and surrendered a single to Jake Kahaulelio before retiring Jake Reed on a ground out to second base for the final out of the game.

Blake Brannon (2-0) hurled two scoreless innings for the Loons to record the victory. Ramirez retired Reed for his 20th save and his third straight one-out save.

Daniel Guerrero (1-5) started and recorded the loss for the Dragons.

The Dragons out-hit the Loons 17-9 in the losing effort.

The Loons and Dragons continue their four-game series Monday with a 7:00 p.m. game. Right-hander Justin Miller (4-9, 4.10 ERA) will start for the Loons against right-hander Curtis Partch (4-9, 5.10).