Another weekend of action has concluded and the hunt for the first half crown remains tight in both divisions of the MWL. As we conclude the four game series across the league today, there is only one team more than three games over .500, the Kane County Cougars (11-6), and just one team more than three games under .500, the Great Lakes Loons (6-11). With such a competitive balance from top to bottom, the hunt for the first half playoff spot has already begun. Let’s take a look at how the weekend series wrapped up on Sunday and the impact it had on the standings.
Beloit Snappers 8 vs Burlington Bees 0
The Snappers (7-10) were firing on all cylinders in this one as the Bees (7-9) couldn’t figure out Beloit’s pitching combination of Dalton Sawyer and Mitchell Jordan. The Snappers also hit 4 HR’s in the game.
WP: Sawyer (2-1) LP: Andrew Vinson (1-2) S: Jordan (1)
Top Offensive Performer:
Beloit’s Luke Persico: 2/3, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 1 R
Cedar Rapids Kernels 11 vs Kane County Cougars 2
The Kernels (9-8) had a big day at the plate as they took down the team with the best record in the league, Kane County (11-6). Cougars starter, Bo Takahashi, lasted just 1.2 innings after giving up three home runs in the bottom of the second.
WP: Clark Beeker (2-1) LP: Takahashi (0-2)
Top Offensive Performer:
Cedar Rapids’ Jermaine Palacios: 3/5, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 1 R,
Clinton LumberKings 5 @ Quad Cities River Bandits 4
The LumberKings (8-9) put up three runs in the final two innings for a comeback victory over the River Bandits (9-8).
WP: Robert Dugger (1-1) LP: Derick Velazquez (1-1) BS: Velazquez
Clinton’s Nick Zammarelli: 2/4, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 2 R
Photo by Mathew Carper
Peoria Chiefs 6 @ Wisconsin Timber Rattlers 5
The Chiefs (7-9) were down 5-2 going into the top of the seventh when they would put one run on the board before taking the lead with a three run eighth inning that included a lead off homerun from Brian O’Keefe, his second of the season.
WP: Ramon Santos (1-1) LP: Luke Barker (1-1) S: Eric Carter (1)
Top Offensive Performer:
Peoria’s J.R. Davis: 2/4, 1 RBI, 2 R
Great Lakes Loons 5 vs Fort Wayne TinCaps 4
The Loons (6-11) are off the slowest start of the Midwest League season. That was not the case today when the defending champs walked it off in the bottom of the ninth off of a Luis Paz solo homerun to take a hard fought game over the TinCaps (7-10).
WP: Sven Schuller (1-0) LP: Nick Monroe (0-1)
Top Offensive Performer:
Great Lakes’ Luis Paz: 3/4, Walkoff HR, 2 RBI, 1 R
South Bend Cubs 9 vs Dayton Dragons 8
Another MWL game that came down to the wire this weekend, the Cubs (10-7) and the Dragons (10-7) combined to score 11 runs in the final three innings. The Dragons were down by three entering their half of the ninth and ended up coming up one run short.
WP: Duncan Robinson (3-1) LP: Ryan Hendrix (1-1) S: Wyatt Short (3)
Top Offensive Performer:
South Bend’s Kevonte Mitchell: 2/3, 1 3B, 1 RBI, 2 R
Lansing Lugnuts 11 vs Bowling Green Hot Rods 2
The Lugnuts (9-8) jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the first and never looked back from there. The Hot Rods (8-8) bats were silenced by solid pitching performances from four Lansing pitchers. Top prospect Vladimir Gurrero Jr. went 2/3 with 2 RBI.
WP: Justin Maese (2-2) LP: Adrian Navas (1-3)
Top Offensive Performer:
Lansing’s Bradley Jones: 2/4, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 1 R
Vladimir Gurrero Jr. Photo by Mathew Carper
West Michigan Whitecaps vs Lake County Captains
This one started out as a pitcher’s duel until the Whitecaps (9-8) hung four runs on the Captains (8-8) in the bottom of the sixth. Lake County would push across two runs in the top of the eighth, but it would prove to be too little too late.
WP: Austin Sodders (1-0) LP: Aaron Civale (1-1) S: Jason Foley (1)
Top Offensive Performer:
West Michigan’s Jacob Robson: 1/4, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 2 R
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