Sweep: Lugnuts Finish off Whitecaps, 8-2
April 17, 2019 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Lansing Lugnuts News Release
COMSTOCK PARK, Mich. - Johnny Aiello homered, Jordan Groshans collected three hits, and the Lansing Lugnuts (7-6) completed a three-game sweep at the West Michigan Whitecaps (5-8), 8-2, on Wednesday afternoon at Fifth Third Ballpark.
With the win, the Lugnuts went over the .500 mark for the first time in 2019.
Held to one run in six innings by Whitecaps starter Adam Wolf (Loss, 1-2) on April 10th in Lansing, the Nuts won round 2 with an 11-hit barrage against the former Louisville Cardinal, scoring a run in the first inning, two in the second - sparked by Aiello's first home run of the year, three in the third, and one more in the fourth. All nine starters hit safely against the West Michigan southpaw.
Groshans, the Blue Jays' first-round selection in 2018, led the attack, going 3-for-5 to raise his batting average to .375. Mc Gregory Contreras added a two-run double, Nick Podkul walked, singled and doubled, and D.J. Neal singled twice, drew a walk and stole his third base of the season.
The Lugnuts finished the game with 14 base hits, a new season high.
Lansing starter Juan De Paula (Win, 1-1), acquired by Toronto from San Francisco in a three-player package for Kevin Pillar, notched his first win in the Jays' organization. The 6-foot-4 right-hander struck out six batters in five innings, hitting 95 miles-per-hour on the stadium radar gun, picking Whitecaps prospect Wenceel Perez off first base, and allowing only one run - a Jordan Pearce RBI single in the third.
Josh Hiatt, De Paula's partner in the Lugnuts' scheduled piggyback tandem, pitched the final four innings, striking out four and allowing one run on five hits and two walks, to record his first save.
The Whitecaps scored exactly two runs in all three games of the series.
The Lugnuts now return home, opening a six-game, seven-day homestand on a Labatt Blue Thirsty Thursday: The Purge Night! Sometime during the game, a siren will sound - at which point all food and non-alcoholic beverages are free until the inning comes to an end! Right-hander Sean Wymer (3.65 ERA) starts for the Nuts against Dayton Dragons right-hander Lyon Richardson (1.17) at 6:05 p.m.
To purchase tickets and live the Lug Life at Cooley Law School Stadium, visit lansinglugnuts.com or call (517) 485-4500.
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