Valenzuela Delivers Rainy Walkoff Winner
Published on May 4, 2025 under Midwest League (MWL)
Lansing Lugnuts News Release
LANSING, Mich. - Sahid Valenzuela slapped a game-winning RBI single through a drawn-in infield in the bottom of the 10th inning, and the Lansing Lugnuts (16-11) walked off the Lake County Captains (15-12), 1-0, on a rainy Sunday afternoon at Jackson® Field™.
The victory clinched a six-game series split with the defending league champions and gave the Lugnuts a 7-5 record to conclude a season-long 12-game homestand.
Through nine innings, the Nuts had been held to just one hit by four Captains pitchers: a bloop single to right from Nate Nankil in the fourth inning.
But with Clark Elliott at second base to open the bottom of the 10th, Casey Yamauchi was hit by Jack Jasiak's first pitch, and Nick Schwartz sacrificed the runners to second and third. Valenzuela, the No. 9 hitter, worked the count to 2-2 before rapping a Jasiak pitch through the left side of the infield, bringing in Elliott with Lansing's second walk-off win of the season.
The Captains had threatened to score in each of the first four innings against Lugnuts starter Yunior Tur, but went 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position and stranded nine, leaving the bases loaded in the second and fourth innings.
Tur finished with a perfect fifth, and the Lugnuts' bullpen took over. Jake Garland blanked the Captains in the sixth and seven, Corey Avant handled a 1-2-3 eighth inning, and Gustavo Rodriguez had no troubles in a perfect ninth.
In the top of the 10th, Blaze Pontes allowed a one-out single to Alfonsin Rosario, who stole second, but retired Ralphy Velazquez on a shallow flyout to right and Jose Devers on a popout to short to finish the pen's fifth scoreless inning of relief and set the stage for Valenzuela's heroics.
After a day off on Monday, the Nuts open a huge six-game series Tuesday at first place West Michigan, the first of 21 meetings between the archrivals.
The next Lansing Lugnuts homestand arrives May 13-18 vs. South Bend. T ickets are available at the stadium box office, (517) 485-4500 or online at milb.com/lansing.
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