De Paula Hits Tenth Home Run of Season, Loons Finish 11-Game Homestand with 6-5 Win

MIDLAND, Mich. – Josue De Paula drove in three runs, providing a home run for a second straight game, a 6-5 Great Lakes Loons (36-32) (2-1) win over the Peoria Chiefs (27-41) (1-2) on a hot 91-degree partly cloudy Sunday afternoon at Dow Diamond.

- Josue De Paula had two hits, three stolen bases, and a walk with three RBI. With a runner on in the third, he scorched a ball to deep left center, his tenth homer of the season. The Dodgers No. 2 prospect is the first Loon to double-digit dingers.

- The Loons as a team stole eight bases, matching a single-game season high. They stole four in a three-run fifth inning. Kendall George walked and stole second base. De Paula drove him in with an RBI single. De Paula took third base and scored on a Mike Sirota sac fly. Zyhir Hope walked, stole second, and was plated by a Joe Vetrano RBI single. Vetrano also swiped second base.

- Loons pitching permitted one run through the first six innings. Maddux Bruns struck out four over three innings, allowing one run. Alex Makarewich worked a scoreless fourth, and Brooks Auger needed just 19 pitches in two clean frames.

- Peoria plated four runs in the seventh inning. Two walks and a Won-Bin Cho RBI single made it 6-2. With two outs, Josh Kross went first pitch swinging and knocked his second homer of the series, a three-run shot.

- Cam Day and Evan Shaw stranded three Chiefs and collected the final five outs. Day worked around two walks inducing a groundout to the shortstop to end the eighth in a 10-pitch battle with Peoria’s Jon Jon Gazdar. Shaw forced a flyout to end the contest.

Rounding Things Out

Wilman Diaz singled in the third inning, adding a stolen base. Diaz now has a five-game hitting streak and an 11-game hitting streak.

Up Next

After an off-day, the Loons begin a nine-game road trip. Tuesday, June 24th, Great Lakes faces Fort Wayne at Parkview Field. The first pitch is at 7:05 pm.

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.