September 15th, 2016 at 6:00 am 
by Harold Uhlman 
Despite of a first-inning three-run home run by right fielder D.J. Peters (right), the Loons fell to the Clinton LumberKings by a final score of 16-6 in Game-1 of the Midwest League Eastern Division Championship Series on Wednesday.
(Photo courtesy of Great Lakes Loons)
The Great Lakes Loons are on the road again. Having eliminated the West Michigan Whitecaps – in an exciting third game of the series – to capture the Eastern Division Championship of the Midwest League, the Loons earned a berth in the league championship series. No sooner had they done so than they had to head out on another long bus ride. This time they were headed west to Clinton, Iowa 322 miles from Comstock Park, Michigan on a ride that would take over six hours. Six of the Loons first eight playoff games will have been on the road. Meanwhile the Clinton LumberKings had the day off Tuesday after defeating the Cedar Rapids Kernels to win the Western Division Championship of the Midwest League.
The Loons, making their first ever trip to the league championship series in their 10-year history, faced other challenges even before taking the field with the LumberKings. Clinton manager Mitch Canham had already set his starting rotation for the first three games of the series before the Loons left the field on Tuesday night.
Meanwhile Loons manager Gil Velazquez was scrambling to put bodies on the mound. His team did not have a true travel day throughout their entire playoff schedule – traveling by night – and therefore had no days off to give his pitching staff a break. By design starters Jordan Sheffield and Walker Buehler have been limited to two innings per start necessitating a piggyback system to get through those games. While being extremely efficient, the bullpen has been taxed and right-hander Jose Santos has been lost to the team after being struck on the foot by a line drive during Tuesday’s game. As of Wednesday morning Velazquez had not announced his Game 1 starter. Later in the day it was announced Jordan Sheffield would start the first game against the LumberKings, most likely followed by Dennis Santana.
The LumberKings are certainly worthy Western Division champions. On the season their 86-54 record was the best in the Midwest League. Their team ERA of 3.12 was the second best in the league while their team batting average was .253.
The Loons are also worthy Eastern Division champions after having captured a wildcard playoff berth by finishing the season on an 18-7 run. Their team batting average of .234 ranked the third lowest in the league and one of the lowest in all of minor league baseball. Their team ERA was a very respectable 3.30 and the fourth best in the Midwest League.
However, thus far the Great Lakes squad has met all of their challenges head on since their season changing contest on August 11 when they came back from a six-run deficit in the ninth inning to defeat the Lake County Captains 11-10 in an extra inning. They unexpectedly surged into the playoffs from that point in the season and also unexpectedly dispensed with both the first place Bowling Green Hot Rods and third place West Michigan Whitecaps in their two divisional playoff rounds. They have weathered the long hours of travel and displayed a resilience with the bats coming alive in the later innings of games while the pitching has held the opponents at bay.
Several Loons players seem to have feasted on the post season pressure, including leadoff hitter Saige Jenco, second baseman Omar Estevez, shortstop Brendon Davis and catcher Jake Hensen. The relief corps has excelled holding the Loons in games when the starters are limited to five or six innings and waiting for the offense to kick in.
During the season the Loons and LumberKings met three times at Dow Diamond with Great Lakes taking two of the three contests.
Clinton begins the series with 20-year-old left-hander Luis Gohara on the mound. Following a mid-season promotion from the short season Low Single-A Everett AquaSox of the Northwest League Gohara posted a 1.82 ERA with the LumberKings in 54.1 innings along with 60 strikeouts and 20 walks.
In the first inning Saige Jenco and Brendon Davis started the Loons off on the right foot, both with a ground ball single. With two outs the newest Loon, right fielder DJ Peters, hammered a three-run homer to left field.
Right-hander Jordan Sheffield took the mound for the Loons in the bottom of the first inning with a 3-0 lead. As important as it was to set the LumberKings down in the first inning, Sheffield could not do so. He walked the first hitter he faced, gave up a double, and two runs then scored on a pair of wild pitches.
That was certainly not the start Sheffield and the Loons were looking for. He then set Clinton down ending the inning with a 98 mph strikeout but had given up two runs on one hit.
The score remained unchanged until the bottom of the third inning. Right-hander Karch Kowalczyk relieved Sheffield and ran into trouble giving up the tying run on a pair of walks and a double.
The Loons recaptured the lead in the top of the fourth inning driving LumberKings Luis Gohara from the game with a walk to Saige Jenco a wild pitch and a run scoring single by Brendon Davis. Omar Estevez followed with a triple driving in the second run of the inning giving the Loons a 5-3 lead.
In the bottom of the fourth inning the bottom fell out for the Loons. Right-hander Dennis Santana managed to get only one out while walking four, giving up but one hit and allowing five runs to score.
Right-hander Ivan Vieitez did get the final two outs in the inning but not before giving up an additional three runs on three hits and one walk. Over the first four innings Clinton scored 11 runs on six hits and eight walks to take a 11-5 lead into the fifth inning.
With Loons Victor Gonzalez on the mound the teams traded a run in the next two innings leaving the Loons trailing by six runs. Gonzalez pitched two innings giving up a run on one hit and a walk.
Tony Gonsolin continued the Loons pitching parade in the bottom of the seventh inning and the LumberKings continued their hit parade. Gonsolin gave up another run on a triple and two singles.
In the bottom of the eighth inning utility player Gage Green became the Loons seventh pitcher in the game. He too continued the pattern for the night by giving up three runs on three hits and the LumberKings a 16-6 lead.
The second game in the series is scheduled for Ashford University Field in Clinton on Thursday at 7:30 ET. Coverage of the game will be provided by announcers Chris Vosters and Matt DeVries on ESPN 100.9-FM and Loons.com.
Posted in 
Harold, that game was certainly ugly, but not really unexpected. The Loons faced a rested LumberKings team, and really have a tired and depleted pitching staff. I am a assuming that Leo Crawford will back up Walker Buehler tonight. Buehler will probably go two, and Crawford could go five, but I would project four. If everything goes to plan, Istler could come in for two, and Sptizbarth could close it out. That would leave Dean Kremer to follow Caleb Ferguson on Saturday.
The Loons face a tough pitcher in 20 year old Venezuelan RHP Pablo Lopez, who sports a 7-1 record with a 2.13 ERA, .91 WHIP over 84.1 IP. Not a big strikeout pitcher, but with only 9 BB over those innings, he has very good to excellent control.
It’s nice to see DJ getting comfortable in his step up. Let’s hope Jenco, Estevez, and Davis continue to hit, but more importantly, Isabel and Tubbs need to start producing.
Here’s to rooting for the Loons to get back home and to Dow Diamond all squared up.
AC- I thought it might be tough after all their travel but didn’t expect it to be quite so bad. Gave up 10 walks, made 8 wild pitches, 4 errors. Clinton had 16 runs on 13 hits, only four for extra bases with no homers. Three of those against position player Gage Green.
Offensively the Loons had enough to win – 10 hits, 5 walks.
It’s a good one to have out of the way. Tonight’s game is big.
Isabel is very prone to the breaking ball which pretty much neutralizes him. Maybe Matt Jones should start although he too has trouble with the breaking ball but he is a left-handed hitter. Lopez is a righty. I think I would start Gage Green who is a team leader and also hits left, either in place of Tubbs or McKinstry.
Green on the season has played every position, including pitching, except shortstop.
I think you have the pitching scenario pretty much correct.
Go Loons!!
Matt Jones is in. Gage Green is not. I guess Green’s versatility keeps him available on the bench.
Welcome to A-ball, Mr. Peters. The pitching was terrible, rested or not. Could they recall Mitchell White from Rancho?
I don’t think a player can be added to the playoff roster from a higher level.
What a job by Crawford tonight.
The next Julio Urias? Good to see the young pitchers stretch out a little as they near the finish line.
Buehler, Crawford, and Kremer all pitched outstanding. Combined shutout w/3 H, 1 BB, 14 K, all on a very efficient 119 pitches. Crawford has been outstanding and consistent with another 5 IP. Buehler stretched it out to a 3rd inning for the first time in his professional career. With only 12 pitches tonight, Kremer should be ready to go for game 3.
Another big offensive game for Omar Estevez and Saige Jenco. Tough game for DJ. Let’s hope Gil Velazquez and his team can bring the championship home.
Crawford doesn’t have a fastball like Urias topping out at 88 mph. He seems to have a good curve and change and composure like Julio.
Nice to see Buehler go thre good ones. Kremer is definitely a good one too.