Lansing Drops Fort Wayne
May 25, 2006 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Lansing Lugnuts News Release
Fort Wayne, Ind. - Even 2 hours and 32 minutes of rain couldn't damper this night for the Lugnuts. Strong pitching and three solo home runs lifted Lansing to a 5-3 victory over the Fort Wayne Wizards on Thursday night before 5,426 fans at Memorial Stadium. The win not only snapped an eight game road losing streak for the Lugnuts, but it also propelled Lansing back into first place in the Eastern Division.
Lansing took the lead in the second inning after Joey Metropoulos smacked a solo home run over the right field wall to make the score 1-0. Anthony Garibaldi followed that up later in the frame with a solo blast of his own to push the lead to 2-0.
Metropoulos struck again in the fifth when he ripped a two run single into center field to extend the lead to 4-0. He finished the game 2-for-2 with the homer, three RBI, and two walks.
The Lugnuts final run of the game crossed the plate when Cory Patton drilled a solo homer to right field in the seventh inning to make the score 5-0.
Five runs would be plenty for the Lugnuts pitching staff Thursday night. Billy Carnline went five innings and allowed just one hit while picking up the win for Lansing. The games' second rain delay in the sixth inning forced him out of the game.
Aaron Tressler stepped in and tossed two shutout innings for the Lugnuts. He did not allow a hit in his outing.
The Wizards did put three runs on the board in the ninth off of reliever Po-Hsuan Keng to make it interesting. Nic Crosta doubled off of the right-center field wall to break a string of six hitless innings for the Wizards. Kyle Blanks then lifted a double past a diving Jacob Butler in right field to plate Crosta and make the score 5-1. Daryl Jones followed that with a homer to left field to pull Fort Wayne within two, but Keng would retire the next two batters to end the game.
Lansing (27-18) and Fort Wayne (22-22) will play the second game of the series tomorrow evening. Chi-Hung Cheng (5-3, 3.53) will take the ball for the Lugnuts. The Wizards will counter with Grant Varnell (1-5, 4.43). First pitch is set for 6:00 p.m.
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