Loons close out season on positive note

If the Great Lakes Loons had gotten pitching like this all season, we may be talking about being in the playoffs this week.

Given Kutz pitched five shutout innings and combined for a shutout of the Fort Wayne Wizards as the Loons picked up a 3-0 victory in front of 5,323 fans at Dow Diamond 2008 season finale Monday.

The Loons end the season with a record 10 straight sellouts and 22 total sellouts this season.

Tthe Loons scored first, in the third inning, when Erik Kanaby lined an RB single to left field, scoring Yossandy Garcia just ahead of the throw home to give the Loons a 1-0 lead.

The Loons scored their other two runs when Eduardo Perez launched a two-run double just over the head of Fort Wayne center fielder Brad Chalk in the fifth to extend the Loons lead.

Kutz, Blake Brannon and Cal Stanke combined on a four-hit shutout in one of the best pitching performances of the season. The entire pitching staff faced just two batters over the minimum in the contest. Kutz picked up the win, improving to 5-6. Brannon and Stanke tossed two frames each. Stanke picked up the save, his first and only of 2008.

Jeremy McBryde pitched five innings in the start for the Wizards allowing all three Loons runs in picking up the loss to fall to 8-9 on the season.

The Loons finish the season 54-85 and 23-46 in the second half.