Beck slams Whitecaps, 5-2

COMSTOCK PARK, MI – Austin Beck took ownership of the offense with a first-inning grand slam and an eighth-inning RBI single, and the Lansing Lugnuts (33-36) topped the West Michigan Whitecaps (31-37), 5-2, on Thursday night at LMCU Ballpark.

Jack Cushing added another strong pitching performance for the Nuts, striking out eight in six masterful innings, as Lansing won for the second time in three games at West Michigan.

The game began with six straight Lugnuts hits. Singles by Shane Selman, Drew Millas and Michael Guldberg loaded the bases against West Michigan starter Keider Montero, and Beck plated them all with an opposite-field drive over the right-field wall. It was the Lugnuts’ first grand slam since Ryan Gold on April 18, 2019, and Beck’s second career grand slam as a pro.

Three straight singles and then the Lugnuts first grand slam of the season, delivered by @austinbeck222!! 💥 pic.twitter.com/ZT6VkfUbJL

— Lansing Lugnuts (@LansingLugnuts) July 22, 2021

Jordan Díaz and Cobie Vance followed the grand slam with singles of their own, but the Lugnuts’ offense was then quieted by the combination of Montero and relievers Sandel De La Cruz and Michael Bienlien, who held Lansing to just one hit until the eighth. There, Guldberg led off with a triple against Bienlien and Beck promptly plated him with a laser of a base hit to right-center, capping the scoring.

Beck, the sixth overall pick of the 2017 draft, has driven in 13 runs in his last six games with the Lugnuts.

West Michigan’s offense, conversely, was held to one big swing all night, thanks to Cushing’s dominance. The right-hander from Georgetown faced the minimum while allowing only one hit in the first five innings, striking out two batters each in the first, second and fourth innings.

But in the sixth, the Whitecaps found their bats. With one out, Andrew Navigato singled to right. With two outs, Parker Meadows singled up the middle and Navigato raced to third. Gage Workman worked the count full before slicing a deep fly ball to left, where Shane Selman got his glove on it down the line but couldn’t make the catch. The ball was ruled fair as both Navigato and Meadows scored and Workman reached second, trimming the Lugnuts’ lead to 4-2.

The Whitecaps came no closer. Charles Hall pitched the seventh and eighth innings and faced the minimum while allowing one hit and striking out one. Dalton Sawyer then finished things off things with two strikeouts in a perfect ninth.

The fourth game of the series will be played at 7:05 p.m. Friday, with Lansing right-hander Reid Birlingmair (4.27 ERA) facing Whitecaps right-hander Garrett Hill (2.66 ERA).

The next Nuts homestand runs from July 27-August 1 vs. Fort Wayne, including White Claws & Paws/LAFCU Fireworks on July 30, a Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Bobblehead Giveaway on July 31 and a partnership with the Potter Park Zoo with the Lugnuts playing as the Lansing Black Rhinos on August 1. To purchase tickets, visit lansinglugnuts.com or call (517) 485-4500.

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