Carlos Rincon's 2 run HR in the 16rh gives Loons its second straight walk off home run

The Great Lakes Loons resumed last night's rain-delayed game with its second consecutive walk off home run, this one off the bat of Carlos Rincon, to beat the Dayton Dragons 2-1 in the bottom of the sixteenth inning at Dow Diamond this afternoon. 

 

The Loons had hoped to play 2 seven inning games on Wednesday night following Tuesday's game, which was postponed, however, the first game last night remained scoreless as rain started to fall and the top of the fourteenth inning was set to start.

 

The rain continued and the tarps came out, so they decided to finish Wednesday night's (first) game prior to today's 10:45 am education day game, and then play the education day game later in the afternoon with the plan of making up Tuesday's game at a later date. 

 

After another 2-innings of scoreless baseball this afternoon, Dayton center fielder T.J. Friedl hit a solo home run in the top of the sixteenth inning to give the Dragons a 1-0 lead, setting the stage for yet another Loons' walk off win, after Cody Thomas hit a solo home run to give the Loons a 5-4 walk off win with two outs in the bottom of the tenth inning Monday night. This was Rincon's second walk off HR of the year and the Loons' fourth as Luis Paz hit one earlier in the season as well. 

 

Loons third baseman Oneil Cruz reached base on a 2-out walk and Rincon (9) followed with his ninth home run of the season, a 2-run shot over the left field wall at Dow Diamond to give the Loons its second straight walk off win 2-1 in the bottom of the sixteenth inning. 

 

Prior to this afternoons resumption, last night's game was a classic pitcher's duel featuring Dayton starter Tony Santillan and Great Lakes starter Jordan Sheffield. 

 

Sheffield (0-2, 3.38 ERA) allowed just 6-hits while striking out 5-batters through 6 scoreless innings, before reliever Angel German took over in the seventh inning and was strong, allowing just 1-hit and 2-walks while striking out 4-batters in 2.1 scoreless innings of relief. 

 

Santillan (2-2, 2.35 ERA) was virtually untouchable, shutting down the Great Lakes hitters, allowing just 2-hits and 1-walk while striking out 2-batters through 8 scoreless innings. 

 

Vinny Santarsiero and Miguel Urena finished out last night for the Loons on the mound. 

 

Santarsiero (3-0, 2.05 ERA) picked up where Sheffield and German left off, allowing just 2-hits and a walk through 3.2 innings; while Urena (2-0, 0.66 ERA) allowed 1-hit in his one inning of work.

 

Chris Matthewson (1-0, 4.05 ERA) who was recently assigned to the Loons (on May, 22) from extended spring training, earned his first win, giving up the one run on 2-hits, while striking out 5-batters through all 3-innings this afternoon.

 

*The Loons would then go on to lose the next game 14-6 to the Dragons, more on that game in another story later tonight.