Lugnuts' Rally Falls Just Short Against Dayton, 5-4
Published on May 16, 2009 under Midwest League (MWL1)
Lansing Lugnuts News Release
LANSING, Mich. - With the potential game-tying run at third base, Tyler Pastornicky's sinking liner to right field was caught by a sliding Byron Wiley, preserving the Dayton Dragons' (10-25) 5-4 victory over the Lansing Lugnuts (11-22) on Saturday night at Oldsmobile Parks.
Trailing 5-2 entering the ninth, the Lugnuts received lead-off singles from Mike McDade and Justin McClanahan against Dayton reliever Mark James. A.J. Jimenez was retired on an infield fly rule pop-up before Jon Del Campo drilled a line drive to deep center field that Dave Sappelt somehow caught while in the midst of falling down.
Jordan Hotchkiss was brought in from the bullpen to replace James and surrendered an RBI double to Kenny Wilson, making the score 5-3. A wild pitch with Pastornicky at the plate scored McClanahan and moved Wilson to third base, but the shortstop's subsequent drive to right was snagged brilliantly by Wiley to end the ballgame.
Oscar Castro (2-2) earned the win in relief for Dayton, allowing two runs on five hits in three innings, with Hotchkiss picking up his second save.
Lansing starter Josh Wells (1-4) suffered the loss despite his best outing of the year, giving up three runs on six hits over a season-high six innings pitched.
In defeat, McClanahan went 3-for-3 with an RBI single and an RBI double for the Lugnuts, and McDade and Yohermyn Chavez each supplied a pair of base hits.
Lead-off hitter Cody Puckett went 3-for-5 with two runs scored and an RBI for Dayton, which tallied all five of its runs with two outs: three in the third inning and two in the seventh.
On a Sunday Kids Day at Oldsmobile Park, the two squads will play the second game of the four-game series at 2:05 p.m. Right-hander Chase Lirette will make his 2009 debut for the Lugnuts against Dragons right-hander J.C. Sulbaran (0-0, 4.50). Kids Day features Kids Eat Free (all kids 12-years-old and younger receive a free kids hot dog and 12-oz Pepsi product) and Pepsi Kids Run the Bases after the game.
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