New acquisitions shine in 7-2 loss

LANSING, Mich. – Kade Morris and Jared Dickey showed why the Oakland Athletics traded for them, but a late Logan Tanner grand slam helped the Dayton Dragons (21-13, 55-45) overcome the new-look Lansing Lugnuts (15-19, 47-52), 7-2, in front of 7,569 on Friday night at Jackson® Field™.

On Tuesday, the A’s dealt Paul Blackburn to the New York Mets for 22-year-old right-hander Morris, who debuted with the longest start for a Lugnut in 2024, tossing seven innings on 91 pitches, allowing seven hits, two walks and three runs while striking out three.

The A’s also traded Lucas Erceg to the Kansas City Royals for a three-player package that included 22-year-old outfielder Dickey, who followed a three-hit, two-RBI game on Thursday by collecting four singles in five at-bats. The former Tennessee Vol is hitting .571, 8-for-14, in his first three games with Lansing.

Still, the Dragons won their third straight game in the series, breaking a 2-2 tie in the seventh against Morris on a sacrifice fly by Carter Graham before adding insurance in the eighth against Wander Guante on Tanner’s seventh home run of the season.

The Lugnuts stranded 14 runners on the bases, a season high for a nine-inning game. The Nuts’ only tallies came in the first inning, a Will Simpson RBI double off Jose Franco, and in the fifth, via a Dickey RBI single off Bryce Hubbart.

Lefty Will Johnston gets the ball for Lansing on Saturday night, a Fiesta Locos featuring a Sugar Skull Bobblehead giveaway to the first 1,000 fans and LAFCU postgame fireworks. Dayton counters with right-hander Mason Pelio, with first pitch set for 7:05 p.m. and gates opening at 6 p.m. For tickets and further information, visit milb.com/lansing or call (517) 485-4500.

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