Lugnuts edge Captains in opener, 5-4

Eastlake, OH – Euribiel Ángeles, Jonny Butler and Brayan Buelvas all homered, but it was Colby Halter’s infield single with the bases loaded in the ninth inning that pushed the Lansing Lugnuts (4-6) past the Lake County Captains (4-5), 5-4, in the opener of a six-game series on Tuesday night at Classic Auto Group Park.

The Lugnuts entered the game with only two home runs in their first nine games, but shortstop Ángeles’s first home run of the year tied the game at 1-1 in the fifth, left fielder Butler’s first homer of the year gave the Nuts a 2-1 lead in the sixth, and center fielder Buelvas’s first homer of the year broke a 2-2 tie in the eighth.

But Lake County’s C.J. Kayfus knotted the score with a two-run double off Dylan Hall in the bottom of the eighth, setting the stage for ninth-inning drama.

Danny Bautista, Jr. led off the top of the ninth with a strikeout against Magnus Ellerts, but reached base when strike three eluded catcher Johnny Tincher for a wild pitch. After an Ángeles flyout, Jose Mujica accidentally punched a single into right field with a check-swing and CJ Rodriguez earned a walk to load the bases. Ellerts struck out Jose Escorche to bring up Halter, who hit a slow roller to the right of the mound. Ellerts attempted to field it, only to have the ball tick off his glove, removing the chance for second baseman Nate Furman to make a play as Bautista, Jr. raced home with the go-ahead run.

Hall then wrapped up a 1-2-3 ninth, clinching the victory.

Lansing starter Jake Garland tossed 4 2/3 innings, limiting the Captains to one unearned run (due to one of Escorche’s two errors) while striking out three in a no-decision.

Both Halter and Escorche enjoyed two-hit games in the winning cause.

The Lugnuts and Captains play a 12:05 p.m. matinee for the second game of the series, pitting Lansing lefty James González against Lake County right-hander Jake Miller.

The Nuts play the Captains through Sunday in Eastlake before returning home for a 12-game, 13-day homestand beginning Tuesday, April 23. Tickets are available for purchase at the Jackson® Field™ box office, available for purchase at (517) 485-4500 or online at milb.com/lansing.

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