Naylor homers twice, Nuts win road finale
MIDLAND, Mich. – What a way to make a livin’! Myles Naylor crushed a pair of home runs, and the Lansing Lugnuts (25-34, 54-69) beat the Great Lakes Loons (35-24, 71-52), 9-5, on Sunday afternoon at Dow Diamond. Southpaw Tucker Novotny struck out nine Loons in six innings of strong
MIDLAND, Mich. – What a way to make a livin’! Myles Naylor crushed a pair of home runs, and the Lansing Lugnuts (25-34, 54-69) beat the Great Lakes Loons (35-24, 71-52), 9-5, on Sunday afternoon at Dow Diamond.
Southpaw Tucker Novotny struck out nine Loons in six innings of strong bulk relief for the Lugnuts, who delighted the 517 Crew Elite in attendance, avoided the six-game sweep, and helped West Michigan creep within 2.5 games of first place Great Lakes with a week remaining in the season.
The victory finishes Lansing’s 2026 road schedule with a record of 20-45, the worst road mark in franchise history. Conversely, the Lugnuts are 34-24 at home and return to Michigan’s state capital for seven games in six days vs. Fort Wayne from September 1-6.
Myles Naylor clobbers a three-run homer out of Dow Diamond! pic.twitter.com/RL24m3CBzU
— Lansing Lugnuts (@LansingLugnuts) August 30, 2026
Naylor, the Nuts’ 21-year-old left fielder, smashed a three-run 420-foot homer off Great Lakes starter Jacob Frost in a four-run first inning, then followed up with a two-run homer off Frost in the third inning. He finished the game 2-for-3, drawing a walk in the fifth inning and getting hit by a pitch in the ninth.
Rehabbing Lansing starter Chen Zhong-Ao Zhuang allowed a Chuck Davalan single and an Eduardo Quintero RBI double in the bottom of the first inning, but recovered to set down the next six batters in a row, finishing off his scheduled two innings.
Novotny nearly took it home from there, using 89 pitches to cruise from the third through the eighth innings, limiting Great Lakes to five hits, one walk and three runs (two earned) while matching his professional high in innings and strikeouts.
In his last four outings, the Minnesota product has posted a 1.59 ERA, allowing only four earned runs in 22 2/3 innings while walking just seven and striking out 28.
Tucker Novotny's latest gem: six innings of bulk relief, allowing two earned runs, with nine strikeouts.
— Jesse Goldberg-Strassler (@jgoldstrass) August 30, 2026
His last four games: 1.59 ERA, 22 2/3 IP, 14 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 7 BB, 28 K. pic.twitter.com/1OHQt21kvq
Mitch Myers finished off the ninth inning, allowing a solo home run to Mairo Martinus to close out the scoring.
Lansing’s offense collected 10 hits and nine walks in the win, with first baseman Jake Reinisch going 1-for-4 with a double and a walk to extend his on-base streak to 39 games.
After a day off on Monday, the Lugnuts welcome in the Fort Wayne TinCaps for one last homestand, beginning with a 6:05 p.m. Tacos and Tallboys Tuesday. For tickets and more information, call (517) 485-4500 or visit www.milb.com/lansing.
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