Thon, Lugnuts walk off in home opener, 5-4
April 8, 2014 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Lansing Lugnuts News Release
LANSING, Mich. - Dickie Joe Thon's RBI bloop single in the bottom of the ninth lifted the Lansing Lugnuts (2-3) to a 5-4 walk-off win over the Quad Cities River Bandits (2-3) in Tuesday night's home opener at Cooley Law School Stadium.
With one out, Thon came to the plate with runners at second and third, facing Quad Cities reliever Andrew Walter (Loss, 0-1). On an 0-1 pitch, the Lugnuts' second baseman flared a single over the head of drawn-in Quad Cities second baseman Austin Elkins, bringing in Derrick Loveless with the game-winning run.
The late-inning excitement capped a rollicking back-and-forth contest.
Quad Cities opened a 2-0 lead on a Jack Mayfield first-inning RBI double and a run-scoring Alonzo Gonzalez balk in the third.
Lansing struck back with four runs in the sixth, sparked by D.J. Davis's first home run of the season and capped by a two-RBI single from Santiago Nessy.
The visiting River Bandits knotted the game at 4-4 off of reliever Jimmy Cordero (BS, 1; W, 1-0) with a pair of runs in the eighth.
But the Lugnuts enjoyed the last hurrah. Loveless and Nessy drew back-to-back walks to open the ninth, moving up to third and second base respectively on an Ian Parmley sacrifice bunt, and setting Thon's heroics.
In the winning effort, Matt Dean went 3-for-4 with an RBI single and Dawel Lugo added a single and a double for the Lugs.
Lansing hosts Quad Cities in the second act of a three-game set on a Hump Day Wednesday night, starring Humphrey the Camel and featuring half-off drinks during Happy Hour from 7-8 p.m. Right-hander Alberto Tirado (0-0, 2.20 ERA) starts for the Lugnuts, while righty Jandel Gustave (1-0, 0.00 ERA) will take the mound for the River Bandits.
Lugnuts tickets are available for purchase via the Cooley Law School Stadium box office, telephone at 517-485-4500 and online at lansinglugnuts.com . To sign up for Lugnuts Alerts, text LUGNUTS to 80373.
Midwest League Stories from April 8, 2014
- Lugnuts Get Walk-Off Win over Bandits, 5-4 - Quad Cities River Bandits
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- Captains Win Fourth Straight - Lake County Captains
- Hot Rods Drop Road Opener at Burlington - Bowling Green Hot Rods
- Thon, Lugnuts walk off in home opener, 5-4 - Lansing Lugnuts
- Loons Hit Parade Continues in Home Opener - Great Lakes Loons
- Chiefs Edge Dragons, 1-0 on Tuesday - Dayton Dragons
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