Loons hold off Lugnuts

In the first meeting of the season between two of the Midwest League’s Michigan rivals, the Great Lakes Loons scored the first seven runs of the ballgame, then hung on for a 7-4 win over the Lansing Lugnuts Wednesday night at Oldsmobile Park.

The Loons struck for three runs in the first inning. Erik Kanaby, Jovanny Rosario and Andrew Lambo led off the game with three straight singles with Lambo’s hit scoring Kanaby. Rosario then scored on a ground ball double play hit into by Jaime Ortiz to clear the bases. Alfredo Silverio followed with a solo home run to give the Loons a 3-0 advantage.

The Loons more than doubled their lead with four runs in the seventh. In the inning, Kanaby singled to score Pedro Baez. Rosario followed with a single to score Kenley Jansen and Kanaby. Lambo then doubled home Rosario.

Lansing struck for four runs in the seventh to pull to within 7-4. The big hit in the inning was a three-RBI double by Justin Jackson off reliever Thomas Melgarejo.

Kanaby and Rosario had three hits each for the Loons. The top three in the Loons’ batting order (Kanaby, Rosario and Lambo) went a combined 8-for-15 with five RBIs and four runs scored.

Steven Johnson (6-2) notched his sixth win of the season. Miguel Ramirez pitched a scoreless ninth for his Midwest League-leading 11th save.

The Loons (24-27) have won two straight to pull to within three and a half games of a playoff berth.

The series continues Thursday in Lansing. The game will start at 7:05 p.m.