Locastro's Magic Helps Lugnuts Hold On
May 4, 2015 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Lansing Lugnuts News Release
Lansing Lugnuts Second Baseman Tim Locastro
(Lansing Lugnuts, Credit: Kyle Castle, Lansing Lugnuts)
LANSING, Mich. - Franklin Navarro's grounder was on its way to center field, seemingly fated to tie up a game the Lansing Lugnuts once led by five. Second baseman Tim Locastro wouldn't let it happen.
Locastro's diving stop and subsequent heart-stopping, game-ending double play lifted the Lugnuts (15-10) to a 7-6 victory over the West Michigan Whitecaps (10-15) in the opener of a three-game series on Monday night at Cooley Law School Stadium.
The victory ended Lansing's three-game losing streak and, coupled with Bowling Green's 6-4 loss to Lake County, lifted the Lugnuts back into a first place tie atop the Midwest League's Eastern Division.
After trailing 2-0 entering the fourth, the Lugs scored seven unanswered runs to build a comfortable lead. The spurt included back-to-back home runs from D.J. Davis and Ryan McBroom in the fifth inning off West Michigan starter Ross Seaton (L, 3-1), the first homers of the season for both.
19-year-old Lansing starter Sean Reid-Foley gave up two runs on three hits and two walks in a season-high four innings, striking out four.
Chase Mallard (W, 1-1) followed with four innings of relief, allowing only a pair of runs (one unearned) in the eighth inning that narrowed the Lugs' lead to 7-4.
Lansing, the best fielding team in the Midwest League, tied a season-worst with three errors - the third committed by right fielder J.D. Davis in the ninth following back-to-back singles against closer Phil Kish, putting runners at second and third with none out. Joey Pankake followed with a two-run single, carving the deficit to one run and putting the game-tying run aboard.
After a strikeout of Shane Zeile, West Michigan first baseman Will Kengor worked a walk from Kish to push Pankake into scoring position. It was the fifth time Kengor had reached base in the game, adding a third walk to a single and a triple.
Navarro followed with a sizzler that hopped off the pitcher's mound on its way toward center - but Locastro made a remarkable stop with a headlong lunge, popped to his feet, raced to second for a force, and whipped a throw to first base to end the game.
The Lugnuts and Whitecaps wake up early on Tuesday, playing a 10:35 a.m. Grand Slam School Day in the second game of the three-game series. For more information, call (517) 485-4500 or visit lansinglugnuts.com .
Images from this story
 Lansing Lugnuts Second Baseman Tim Locastro (Kyle Castle, Lansing Lugnuts) |
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