Gold-en Evening: A slam, a cycle, a 12-4 win

By Jesse Goldberg-Strassler

April 18, 2019

LANSING, Mich. - Ryan Gold belted a grand slam and became the seventh player in Lansing Lugnuts franchise history to hit for the cycle, and the Lugnuts (8-6) won their fourth straight game, 12-4, over the Dayton Dragons (5-9), on Thursday night at Cooley Law School Stadium.Gold drove in seven runs in

LANSING, Mich. - Ryan Gold belted a grand slam and became the seventh player in Lansing Lugnuts franchise history to hit for the cycle, and the Lugnuts (8-6) won their fourth straight game, 12-4, over the Dayton Dragons (5-9), on Thursday night at Cooley Law School Stadium.

Gold drove in seven runs in the game, one shy of the single-game team record, with a single in the first inning, a two-run triple in the third, an RBI groundout in the fourth, a grand slam in the sixth and - after Dayton third baseman Juan Martinez dropped a foul pop - a double in the eighth. It was the Lugnuts' first cycle since Edward Olivares accomplished the feat at home against South Bend on April 24, 2017.

The Dragons jumped out to an early lead with three runs in the first inning off Sean Wymer (Win, 1-0), but the former TCU Horned Frog followed up with zeroes over the next five innings, striking out five.

Dayton starter Lyon Richardson (Loss, 0-2) gave up 10 hits in 3 1/3 innings, pinned for three runs in the third and then departing with the bases loaded in the fourth - with all three runners scoring against reliever Adrian Rodriguez.

Gold's grand slam in the sixth inning against Rodriguez, his first home run of the year, pushed the Lugnuts' lead to 10-3, breaking the game open.

The Dragons added their final run in the seventh, with Mariel Bautista singling in Jonathan Willems against reliever Mike Pascoe . Pascoe finished 1 2/3 innings, striking out four, before Sean Rackoski - received from Extended earlier in the day - pitched the final 1 1/3 innings.

The Lugnuts closed out the scoring in the bottom of the eighth, thanks to Jake Brodt and Mc Gregory Contreras drawing bases-loaded walks from Andy Cox.

Otto Lopez and Reggie Pruitt each collected three hits for the Lugnuts, who amassed a season high 16 hits in addition to a season high 12 runs. Lopez added a walk, his second game of the season in which he reached base four times.

The Lugnuts and Dragons play the second game of the three-game series at 6:05 p.m. Friday, with Lansing right-hander Cobi Johnson (1.00 ERA) starting against Dayton right-hander Jared Solomon (3.38).

To purchase tickets and live the Lug Life at Cooley Law School Stadium, visit lansinglugnuts.com or call (517) 485-4500.

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