Lugnuts dominate, clinch series split
DAVENPORT, IA – Danny Bautista, Jr. homered amid a three-hit game, Joelvis Del Rosario tossed 4 1/3 scoreless innings in relief, and the Lansing Lugnuts (13-17, 44-51) cruised to a 7-1 victory over los Bandidos del Río de las Ciudades Cuádruples (the Quad Cities River Bandits’ Copa identity) (12-18, 44-52)
DAVENPORT, IA – Danny Bautista, Jr. homered amid a three-hit game, Joelvis Del Rosario tossed 4 1/3 scoreless innings in relief, and the Lansing Lugnuts (13-17, 44-51) cruised to a 7-1 victory over los Bandidos del Río de las Ciudades Cuádruples (the Quad Cities River Bandits’ Copa identity) (12-18, 44-52) on Sunday afternoon at Modern Woodmen Park.
The Lugnuts won both games over the weekend to clinch a six-game series split and win the season series, 7-5. In each game, the Nuts scored seven runs on 12 hits.
💣 Bautista Bomb! 💣@dannybautista29 pic.twitter.com/TCEWjFDzRd
— Lansing Lugnuts (@LansingLugnuts) July 30, 2023
20-year-old Quad Cities left-hander Frank Mozzicato, the seventh overall pick in the 2021 draft, gave up five runs on seven hits and three walks in four innings-plus, beginning with a Joshwan Wright two-run single in the third, continued by a Junior Pérez RBI single in the fourth, and finished by Bautista, Jr.’s two-run homer in the fifth inning.
An Euribiel Ángeles RBI double and CJ Rodriguez RBI groundout capped a four-run fifth against reliever Eric Cerantola and finished off the scoring.
The rest of the game was handled by a trio of Lugnuts pitchers: Brady Basso whiffed four while allowing one run in 2 2/3 innings; Del Rosario followed with 4 1/3 brilliant frames and three strikeouts, limiting Quad Cities to a Carter Jensen double in the fourth; and Brock Whittlesey recorded the final six outs, striking out three while allowing one base runner, a Gavin Cross double in the ninth.
Del Rosario received the win, improving to 1-9 for the season. There was no save in the game, halting a stretch of 13 consecutive Lugnuts games with a save credited.
Bautista, Jr. added two singles in addition to his home run, lifting his batting average to .288. He has 34 hits in July, leading the Midwest League. Ángeles, Pérez, Carlos Amaya and Colby Thomas enjoyed two-hit games themselves.
The second leg of the Lugnuts’ 12-game road trip brings Lansing to Cedar Rapids for a six-game series opening Tuesday.
The Nuts’ next home game is on August 8, beginning a two-week homestand against Fort Wayne and Great Lakes. Tickets are available via lansinglugnuts.com or by calling (517) 485-4500 during office hours.
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