Sirota Drives in Two, Loons Pitching K’s Eight in 3-2 Win

COMSTOCK PARK, Mich. – Great Lakes Loons (22-20) pitching and clutch hitting upended the West Michigan Whitecaps (28-14) 3-2 on a 55-degree overcast Friday night at LMCU Ballpark.

- Mike Sirota drove in the first two runs and scored the final run. The 21-year-old won a nine-pitch battle with West Michigan knuckleballer Kenny Serwa in the third inning. A two-run single put the Loons ahead, 2-0. Sirota led off the ninth inning with a double pushed to the right-field corner, the lone extra-base hit for Great Lakes. An E4 reclaimed the lead for the Loons.

- Great Lakes starter Eriq Swan was stellar. The Dodgers No. 17 prospect struck out six over four scoreless innings. He struck out two in each of his first three frames. The right-hander worked around three walks in the fourth inning and stranded the bases loaded.

- Christian Romero returned to 2024 form, with 3.2 innings permitting two runs. Whitecaps second baseman Peyton Graham gained an RBI double in the sixth and a solo homer in the eighth. Romero had only three others reach.

• Jackson Nicklaus and Carlos Rojas singled in the third and were driven in by Sirota. Zyhir Hope’s 109 mph single to right field in the second inning accounted for the other Loons' hit

Rounding Things Out

In his final game as a teenager, Josue De Paula stole his 11th base in his 41st game this season. De Paula has 68 swipes in 275 games across his first four years in pro ball.

Up Next

Tomorrow, Saturday, May 24th, will be the second doubleheader of the week. The first pitch of game one is at 6:05 pm. Each contest will be seven innings.

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.