Nuts Rally in 9th, Pittaro Steals Win in 10th
Published on June 11, 2026 under Midwest League (MWL)
Lansing Lugnuts News Release
LANSING, Mich. - A two-run rally in the bottom of the ninth, led by Pedro Pineda and Myles Naylor, set up a C.J. Pittaro RBI single in the bottom of the 10th that propelled the Lansing Lugnuts (27-32) to a 9-8 win over the Cedar Rapids Kernels (28-30) on a long Wednesday night at Jackson â"â¡ Field™.
From first pitch to last pitch, the game took four hours and 14 minutes to play, including a rain delay in the bottom of the fourth inning. It was the Lugnuts' fourth walk-off victory this season.
Facing reliever Brian Zeldin down 8-6 in the bottom of the ninth with one out and the bases loaded, Pineda pulled a grounder to third. Danny De Andrade made a diving stop and raced to his bag for a forceout as Carlos Pacheco scored to bring the deficit down to one.
On the next at-bat, Naylor hit a ground ball into center field to score Rodney Green, Jr. with the tying run. Brandon Winokur's throw in sailed to the backstop and Pineda attempted to score the winning run, but he was tagged out at the plate to send the game into extra innings.
Lansing relief pitcher Gerlin Rosario struck out three in the top of the tenth to blank the Kernels.
In the bottom of the tenth inning, a wild pitch from Zeldin moved placed runner Naylor to third base. On a 3-2 pitch, Pittaro brought home the win with a line drive into center field.
The Lugnuts took a 6-3 lead in the fourth inning with a Gunner Gouldsmith three-run home run onto the berm beyond the right-field wall right before the game went into a weather delay.
The home run marks Gouldsmith's second of the season, and both have been in clutch situations. The first was a grand slam on May 15 to help the Lugnuts to a 12-9 victory over the Quad Cities River Bandits.
After a one hour and seven-minute stoppage, the two teams matched zeroes until Cedar Rapids put up three runs in the seventh inning off of Lugnuts reliever Ryan Brown ; a sacrifice fly from Marek Houston cut Lansing's lead to 6-4, and an Eduardo Tait home run to right field knotted the score at six apiece.
The Kernels then took the lead with a De Andrade RBI single and added a run with a Tait sacrifice fly in the eighth, both off of reliever Jose Dicochea, before Lansing rallied in the ninth.
Lansing starting pitcher Samuel Dutton allowed three runs in four innings; the first two came on a Quinn McDaniel two-run bomb in the second, and the third scored on a Tait double-play ground ball that plated Andy Lugo.
Tucker Novotny took over and pitched two scoreless innings. Brown came in and gave up three runs (two earned) and three hits with one strikeout. Dicochea pitched â..." of an inning, allowing two runs, two hits and three walks before Rosario fired 2 â..." scoreless innings with six strikeouts to give his team a chance at the win.
In addition to his home run, Gouldsmith collected a fourth RBI with a ground out in the second inning that plated Naylor, finishing the game 2-for-4 at the plate.
Pittaro, Naylor and Pacheco each finished with two hits, with Pacheco hitting a home run to lead off the bottom of the first inning.
Zane Taylor takes the mound Thursday as Lansing's starter, taking on Kernels' right-hander Riley Quick. Gates open at 5:30 p.m. for a Coors Light Thirsty Thursday, with the ballpark offering $3 domestics (cans/drafts), $5 seltzers, and $3 16oz soft drink specials, as well as '90s night and Central Michigan University Night. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05. For tickets and more information, call (517) 485-4500 or visit www.milb.com/lansing.
Midwest League Stories from June 11, 2026
- Cubs Put Away Peoria 5-3 in Rain-Shortened Game - South Bend Cubs
- Nuts Rally in 9th, Pittaro Steals Win in 10th - Lansing Lugnuts
- Figueroa Slams in Quad Cities' Explosive Comeback Win over Beloit - Quad Cities River Bandits
- Lugnuts Stun Kernels 9-8 in 10 Innings - Cedar Rapids Kernels
- Fifth Inning Dooms Chiefs in Late-Night Loss to South Bend - Peoria Chiefs
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