Patient Lugnuts Win Home Opener, 6-4
Published on April 7, 2018 under Midwest League (MWL1)
Lansing Lugnuts News Release
LANSING, Mich. - After throwing an Opening Day Block Party to welcome baseball back to Mid Michigan, the Lansing Lugnuts (2-0) broke a late tie to defeat the Great Lakes Loons (0-2), 6-4, on a frigid Saturday night at Cooley Law School Stadium.
Great Lakes pitchers walked 12 Lugnuts - but held the Nuts without a hit until Ryan Noda's leadoff double off Zach Pop (Loss, 0-1) in the seventh inning. Kevin Smith singled in Noda to give the Lugnuts a 5-4 lead. Smith then moved to third base on a Brock Lundquist groundout and scored on a throwing error by catcher Garrett Hope, closing out the scoring.
A crowd of 3,488 withstood the 31-degree temperature and fierce winds, watching the Lugnuts draw 10 walks in the first two innings on their way to building a 4-0 lead against Loons starter Riley Ottesen (seven batters, six walks) and reliever Marshall Kasowski.
The Loons rallied to tie the game, however, thanks to Starling Heredia's RBI double in the third and Carlos Rincon's solo home run in the fourth off starter Zach Logue, and a Jared Walker two-run homer in the sixth off reliever Dany Jimenez.
Left-hander Logue received a no-decision in his Midwest League debut, striking out six batters and allowing two runs on four hits and three walks in five innings.
Jimenez (Win, 1-0) struck out three Loons in the seventh, stranding two runners, and became the pitcher of record following the Nuts' rally in the home half.
Andy Ravel faced the minimum in a scoreless eighth, and Ty Tice (Save, 1) pitched around a one-out walk to lock down the ninth inning.
Noda joined teammates Reggie Pruitt, Brock Lundquist, Kacy Clemens and Samad Taylor in drawing two walks apiece.
The Lugnuts finished two walks away from tying their single-game franchise record, set against Dayton on August 30, 2007.
Get two games for the price of one on Sunday as the Nuts and Loons close out their series with a doubleheader: a Delta Dental Kids Day beginning at 1:05 p.m. with Play Catch on the Field before the game and Kids Run the Bases after the game! Lugnuts right-handers Graham Spraker and Turner Larkins will start the two seven-inning games, opposed by Loons right-handers Melvin Jimenez and Edwin Uceta. For more information, visit lansinglugnuts.com or call (517) 485-4500.
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- Loons Rally Falls Short - Great Lakes Loons
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