Morales Homers Twice Including a Grand Slam in 11-Run Loons Win

DAYTON, Ohio. – Emil Morales delivered a career-high six runs batted in, in a 14-3 Great Lakes Loons (28-16) series opener win over the Dayton Dragons (25-21) on a cloudy 74-degree Tuesday night at Day Air Ballpark.

- Great Lakes got two runs, two pitches into the game. Chuck Davalan first-pitch swinging lined a ball to centerfield. Emil Morales next-up mashed the first pitch he saw sending a ball 418 feet to deep left-center field. Morales made his road debut for the Loons tonight.

- Sterling Patick escaped two bases loaded jams in his first two innings. The left-hander would leave a runner on in the next two frames. He went 4.1 innings permitting no runs and struck out four.

- Nico Perez and Jose Meza delivered RBI hits in the third inning. Perez doubled home Eduardo Quintero who reached via a 10-pitch walk.

- Davis Chastain earned the win. The right-hander inherited two runners on with one out in the fifth and got a strikeout and flyout.

- Great Lakes tacked on 10 runs in the final three innings, four in the seventh and six in the ninth. Morales’ second career grand slam highlighted the ninth. Davalan and Morales notched their second hits to begin the seventh. Nico Perez walked to load the bases. Kole Myers cleared the bases with a triple. Eduardo Guerrero’s third hit of the contest, an RBI single, brought home Myers.

- Dayton tallied one run in the sixth, seventh and ninth inning. Alfredo Alcantara lifted a solo shot to left field in the bottom of the seventh. Isaac Ayon, in relief, punched out six in three innings.

Rounding Things Out

The Loons are now 3-1 in road series openers. They’ve outscored the opposition 36 to 17.

Up Next

Tomorrow, Wednesday, May 27th, Great Lakes faces Dayton at 7:05 p.m. ET. The Loons are now up four games on the Dragons in the Midwest League East Division. The first half of the season ends on Thursday, June 18th.

The Great Lakes Loons have been a partner of the Los Angeles Dodgers since the team’s inception in 2007. Dow Diamond serves as the team’s home and also houses the Michigan Baseball Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit public charity, and Sports Radio 100.9 The Mitt. For tickets or information about the Loons, call 989-837-BALL or visit Loons.com.