Lights out Letko leads Lansing to 6-1 win
Published on July 24, 2008 under Midwest League (MWL1)
Lansing Lugnuts News Release
LANSING - Brian Letko hurled the first nine inning complete-game in just over a year for the Lugnuts Thursday night, as Lansing defeated the Quad Cities River Bandits 6-1 at Oldsmobile Park before 8,214 fans.
Letko (2-2) was brilliant throughout the contest as he surrendered one run on four hits while using only 89 pitches during the affair. He also induced four inning-ending double plays, including the one in the ninth that ended the game. The complete-game is also the first in his career, and it comes in just his 16th professional start. He had not gone past five innings at any point this season until Thursday night.
The Lugnuts offense provided support early for Letko, as Lansing scored all six of it's runs in the first three innings.
David Cooper's RBI single in the first scored Justin Jackson from third and put Lansing ahead 1-0.
The Lugnuts struck again in the next frame. With two men on, Jackson laced an RBI single that plated Jonathan Baksh, making it a 2-0 game. After Raul Barron singled to load the bases, Kevin Ahrens bounced into a groundout that pushed across Eric Eiland, extending the advantage to 3-0. Cooper then capped off the inning for Lansing by ripping a two-run double into right field.
He finished the game 2-for-4 with three RBI.
Lansing's final run of the game scored in the third when Eiland dropped a single into left-center field that brought Moises Sierra home, making it 6-0.
Lansing (59-44, 20-13) will play the rubber game with the Quad Cities (50-47, 17-16) Friday night at Oldsmobile Park beginning at 7:05 p.m.. A pair of southpaws will take the bump, as Chi-Hung Cheng (4-4, 4.87) gets the call for the Lugnuts. He will be opposed by the Bandits' Ryan Kulik (1-3, 10.66).
Friday features Jimmy Buffett Night with LAFCU Fireworks following the game.
Midwest League Stories from July 24, 2008
- Bees Hit Five Homeruns and Defeat Kernels - Burlington Bees
- Snappers Drop Fourth Straight - Beloit Sky Carp
- Dragons Hold On to Win in Game Interrupted by Brawl - Dayton Dragons
- Chiefs Lose 6-4 Thursday - Peoria Chiefs
- Whitecaps overcome early hole for victory - West Michigan Whitecaps
- Cougars Come up Short in Indiana - Kane County Cougars
- Clinton Tops Loons, Again - Great Lakes Loons
- Statement from Gary Mayse, General Manager of the Dayton Dragons - Dayton Dragons
- Rattlers on wrong end of wild affair - Wisconsin Timber Rattlers
- Hawks Oxecute Snappers - South Bend Silver Hawks
- Lights out Letko leads Lansing to 6-1 win - Lansing Lugnuts
- Kozma extends hitting streak to 10 in loss - Quad Cities River Bandits
- Dragons "Hotter Than July" - Dayton Dragons
- Kernels skid reaches six in 6-4 loss to Burlington - Cedar Rapids Kernels
- Chiefs Return from Wrigley to Finish Homestand at O'Brien Field - Peoria Chiefs
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
