Lugs celebrate home opener, deep-six Loons
LANSING, Mich. – The Lansing Lugnuts (2-2) opened their 28th home schedule in triumphant fashion, riding a six-run fifth inning to a 7-2 victory over the Great Lakes Loons (2-2) on Tuesday evening at Jackson® Field™. The Lugnuts improved to 19-9 all-time in home openers with the result. Trailing 1-0
LANSING, Mich. – The Lansing Lugnuts (2-2) opened their 28th home schedule in triumphant fashion, riding a six-run fifth inning to a 7-2 victory over the Great Lakes Loons (2-2) on Tuesday evening at Jackson® Field™.
The Lugnuts improved to 19-9 all-time in home openers with the result.
Trailing 1-0 entering the fifth, Joshwan Wright dropped down a leadoff bunt single against Loons reliever Brandon Neeck, CJ Rodriguez walked, a wild pitch moved them to second and third, and Dereck Salom tied the game with an RBI groundout. After a Colby Halter flyout, the Loons took out Neeck and brought in Joel Ibarra. Brayan Buelvas and Henry Bolte greeted Ibarra with consecutive singles, with Buelvas plating Rodriguez, and Will Simpson followed with a two-run single for a 4-1 lead. After a walk to Cameron Masterman, Jonny Butler walloped a two-run double to right to complete the rally.
An inning later, a run-scoring wild pitch from Franklin De La Paz brought in Salom to add insurance to the Lugnuts’ lead.
Great Lakes’ only runs came in the first and last innings: an RBI double from Kyle Nevin against starter Eduardo Rivera, and an RBI single from Nevin against reliever Colton Johnson. In between, Rivera tossed four innings, holding the Loons hitless after the first; Hunter Breault posted a scoreless fifth; Blaze Pontes faced the minimum in blanking the Loons from the sixth through the eighth; and Johnson wrapped things up in the ninth with a strikeout and a double-play ball after Nevin’s single, the defense’s third double play of the night.
Simpson went 2-for-3 with a walk and two RBIs to lead the offense, with Butler adding a single and a double in four at-bats and Buelvas going 1-for-2 with a single and two walks.
Wednesday, the second game of the series, sees the first Dog Days of Summer of the season, with dogs welcome to the ballpark. Lugnuts right-hander Grant Judkins receives the start against Loons right-hander Jacob Meador. Gates open at 5 p.m. for a 6:05 p.m. first pitch. 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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