9,917 celebrate 3rd of July with 2-1 Lugs win

LANSING, Mich. – In front of 9,917, the largest crowd in High-A this season – and larger than 29 of 30 Double-A teams and 17 of 30 Triple-A teams – the Lansing Lugnuts (4-8, 36-41) eked out a 2-1 victory over the Fort Wayne TinCaps (4-8, 32-46) on Wednesday night at Jackson® Field™.

Sahid Valenzuela delivered an RBI single in the third inning and Will Simpson followed two batters later with an RBI double off of Fort Wayne starter Jagger Haynes, supplying all of Lansing’s offense.

But the TinCaps managed only a first-inning solo tally, a Jay Beshears sacrifice fly off Luis Morales in which Anthony Vilar tagged and scored from third, but Romeo Sanabria was thrown out at second to end the rally.

Three innings later, more poor TinCaps base running ended a further opportunity at offense. Luis Carrasco relieved Morales with Ethan Salas at second, Sanabria at third and only one out. Griffin Doersching grounded back to Carrasco, who rushed at Sanabria and tagged him for the second out. Salas was caught between second and third and promptly tagged out by second baseman Valenzuela in a rundown.

Carrasco rolled from there, tossing 4 2/3 scoreless innings while allowing only one hit and no walks and striking out four.

Colton Johnson tossed a scoreless ninth for his seventh save, though left fielder Jonny Butler need to make a tumbling catch of a Beshears sinking line drive to end the game, stranding the potential tying run at third base.

Both Simpson and Luke Mann finished 2-for-4 with a single and a double in the winning effort.

The Lugnuts and TinCaps now shift their series to Fort Wayne for the next three nights, reconvening on Independence Day at 6:05 p.m. at Parkview Field while Jackson® Field™ hosts Dark Side of the Diamond at 7:05 p.m. For tickets and further information, visit milb.com/lansing or call (517) 485-4500.

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