Loons take advantage of longball

Jaime Ortiz hit a two-run home run to left-center field in the top of the ninth inning to break a 3-3 tie and propel the Great Lakes Loons to a 5-3 win over the Cedar Rapids Kernels Tuesday night.

The blast was the first of the season for Ortiz and snapped a 1-for-17 skid for the first baseman. With the game tied 3-3, Pedro Baez led off the inning with his second hit of the game, an opposite field single on the first pitch. Scott Van Slyke sacrificed Baez to second setting the scene for Ortiz’s heroics.

Van Slyke put the Loons on the board in the second with a bases loaded chopper to second base. Cedar Rapids tied the game at one with an Efren Navarro sacrifice fly.

The Loons took a 3-1 lead in the fifth. Following a one-out triple by Preston Mattingly, Andrew Lambo homered to left for his first longball of 2008. Cedar Rapids tied the game at three with a two-run home run by Jeremy Moore in the bottom half of the fifth.

The Loons doubled their home run output for the season with the two blasts. Both teams were aided by a 20-30 mile per hour wind blowing out to left field.

Both teams are now 6-6 on the season. The five runs scored by the Loons doubled their total offensive output the previous five games.

Matt Sartor (1-1) hurled two scoreless innings for his first win of the season. Miguel Ramirez pitched the ninth for his fourth save. Bryan Morris started for the Loons and pitched the first six innings, allowing three runs (all earned), striking out five.

The Loons conclude their nine-game roadtrip Wednesday night against the Kernels. Right-hander Kyle Smit (0-1) will start for the Loons against righty Jordan Walden (1-1). Game time is 7:30 p.m.