Whitecaps Walk off Lugnuts in Thriller
Published on August 20, 2025 under Midwest League (MWL)
Lansing Lugnuts News Release
COMSTOCK PARK, Mich. - Ryan Lasko turned in a candidate for Catch of the Year and Casey Yamauchi delivered a late game-tying RBI single, only to see the West Michigan Whitecaps (36-14, 80-35) walk off the Lansing Lugnuts (22-28, 58-58), 2-1, on an Austin Murr sacrifice fly on Wednesday night at LMCU Ballpark.
The game was a classic, with Kenya Huggins matching zeroes through the first three innings with rehabber Lael Lockhart, and Tzu-Chen Sha locking up with Hayden Minton through the final five innings-plus.
An Archer Brookman home run in the bottom of the fifth gave West Michigan a 1-0 lead, an advantage the Whitecaps retained until Yamauchi followed a T.J. Schofield-Sam two-out double in the eighth with a laser of a single into left field. In the process, the Nuts' second baseman extended his on-base streak to 21 games.
Davis Diaz singled leading off the top of the ninth, but was left at third by Minton. Izaac Pacheco then singled leading off the bottom of the ninth, took third on a wayward pickoff attempt by Sha, and - after a HBP of Garrett Pennington - trotted home on Murr's deep drive to Lasko in right-center.
Three innings prior, Lansing's center fielder pulled off a marvel, racing back and diving toward the wall to steal an extra-base hit from Andrew Jenkins, drawing applause and awe from the home crowd.
Having won the first two games of the series, the Whitecaps send right-hander Rayner Castillo to the mound on Thursday at 6:35 p.m. The Nuts counter with right-hander Kyle Robinson.
The Lugnuts play the Whitecaps through Sunday, returning to Lansing for the final homestand of the regular season from August 26-31 vs. Lake County. For tickets, visit the stadium box office at 505 E. Michigan Ave. in downtown Lansing, call (517) 485-4500 during office hours, or visit lansinglugnuts.com.
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