Lugnuts Open 2018 with 12-1 Rout of Loons
April 5, 2018 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Lansing Lugnuts News Release
MIDLAND, Mich. - Yennsy Diaz struck out 10 batters in 5 2/3 innings and the Lansing Lugnuts (1-0) piled up 13 hits in a 12-1 season-opening steamrolling of the Great Lakes Loons (0-1) on Thursday night at Dow Diamond.
Kevin Vicuña, Reggie Pruitt and Chavez Young each notched three hits to lead the offense, with Vicuña and Pruitt knocking two-run singles in a six-run ninth to blow the game open.
The headlines, however, were stolen early by the 21-year-old Diaz (Win, 1-0), who struck out the side looking in the first inning, struck out the side swinging in the fourth inning, and held the Loons without a hit until Ramon Rodriguez's opposite-field double opened the sixth. He departed with a flourish, fanning Brandon Montgomery before handing the ball to his bullpen.
The Lugnuts' offense, meanwhile, manufactured an early lead with two runs in the first inning and a solo tally in the second off Loons starter Max Gamboa (Loss, 0-1).
Kevin Smith's two-run single made it 5-0 in the fifth against reliever Andre Scrubb.
Pruitt (3-for-5, 2 runs, 3 RBIs) singled home Christian Williams for a 6-0 lead in the eighth.
After the Loons ended Lansing's shutout bid on Brayan Morales's eighth-inning RBI single off reliever Donnie Sellers, the Lugnuts put the game away with an 11-batter, five-hit, two-walk, six-run rally against Great Lakes relievers Devin Hemmerich and James Carter in the top of the ninth.
Shortstop Vicuña and first baseman Kacy Clemens each scored three runs while third baseman Smith and center fielder Pruitt drove in three runs apiece.
The Lugnuts' bullpen handled the final ten outs of the game, with the baton passed from Andy Ravel (1/3 IP, finishing the sixth) to Maximo Castillo (three strikeouts in a hitless seventh) to Sellers (one hit and one run allowed in the eighth) to Kyle Weatherly (a perfect ninth).
The Loons only managed two hits all night.
Left-hander Zach Logue makes his Lugnuts debut on Friday night at 6:05 p.m. at Dow Diamond, opposing Loons right-hander Riley Ottesen in the second game of the four-game home-and-home series.
The Nuts open Cooley Law School Stadium on Saturday with an Opening Day Block Party beginning with Meet the Team at 3 p.m., followed by a team-wide autograph session. Gates open at 5 p.m., with the first 1,000 fans through the gates receiving a commemorative scarf presented by Auto-Owners Insurance. LAFCU Fireworks follow the game. For more information, visit lansinglugnuts.com or call (517) 485-4500.
Midwest League Stories from April 5, 2018
- Lugnuts Open 2018 with 12-1 Rout of Loons - Lansing Lugnuts
- Margevicius Shines, But TinCaps See Season Opener Slip Away - Fort Wayne TinCaps
- Hot Rods Rally Late to Top Dragons 5-4 - Dayton Dragons
- Kernels Kick off 2018 with 2-0 Shutout - Cedar Rapids Kernels
- Loons Fall against Lansing on Opening Day - Great Lakes Loons
- Wintry Conditions Postpone Cougars Home Opener - Kane County Cougars
- LumberKings 2018 season to wait one more day - Clinton LumberKings
- TinCaps Game Notes: April 5 at Lake County (Game 1) - Fort Wayne TinCaps
- Midwest League Welcomes 2018 Umpires - MWL1
- Lugnuts Announce Official 2018 Opening Day Roster - Lansing Lugnuts
- Cougars Announce 2018 Opening Night Roster - Kane County Cougars
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