Leal and Maciel shine but Lugnuts drop twinbill, 3-0, 7-5

LANSING, Mich. – David Leal whiffed seven batters in three innings and Gabriel Maciel debuted with a three-hit showing, but the host Lansing Lugnuts (0-2) lost a season-opening doubleheader to the Lake County Captains (2-0), 3-0 and 7-5, on Saturday at Jackson® Field™.

In Game 1, Austin Beck broke up a Lake County no-hit bid with a fifth-inning single, but the Lugnuts could not overcome a 3-for-3, two-triple performance from Lake County right fielder Johnathan Rodriguez, who drove in one run and scored the other two runs in the Caps’ shutout win.

Gavin Williams, Cleveland’s 2021 first-round selection, tossed four hitless innings with six strikeouts and two walks in his professional debut, combining with two relievers on a two-hitter.Lansing starter Grant Holman pitched four innings and allowed two runs on six hits, striking out two. Joe DeMers followed with two innings, allowing one run on a walk and a hit with one strikeout, before Daniel Martinez spun a perfect seventh.

In the nightcap, the Captains jumped on Lugnuts starter Diego Granado for six runs in the first inning; Granado recorded one out, a strikeout, while giving up five hits, one walk and one HBP.

After Edward Baram escaped further damage in the first inning, Leal’s brilliant relief work, whiffing seven of the ten batters over the next three innings, kept the Nuts in the game. Leadoff hitter Maciel took it from there, delivering his third single in as many at-bats to spark a five-run fifth-inning rally – aided by two Lake County errors – that brought Lansing within a run.

Lake County reliever Jordan Jones made sure the Nuts came no closer, blanking Lansing over the final two innings to secure the doubleheader sweep.

Maciel finished 3-for-4 with a run scored, and Lawrence Butler and Jack Winkler each added two walks in defeat. Angello Infante added a scoreless inning of relief, whiffing two, and Kumar Nambiar handled the final two frames, allowing one unearned run.

The Lugnuts will look to avoid a season-opening three-game home sweep in the Sunday 1:05 p.m. series finale, a Capital City Market Kids Day with gates opening at 12 noon. Right-hander Jeff Criswell is expected to start for Lansing against Lake County right-hander Tommy Mace. Tickets are available for purchase at the stadium box office, at lansinglugnuts.com and by calling (517) 485-4500.

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