Quality Garland, late rally lead to 3-2 déjà vu

DAYTON, OH – Jake Garland gave up two runs in six innings in his first quality start since his Midwest League debut, and Junior Pérez doubled home Colby Halter in the ninth to lift the Lansing Lugnuts (23-29) to a 3-2 win over the Dayton Dragons (27-25, 60-58) on Friday night at Day Air Ballpark.

After falling in the first two games of the series, the Lugnuts have won two straight games by identical 3-2 scores thanks to solo tallies in the ninth.

Facing reliever Owen Holt with the score tied 2-2 entering the top of the ninth, second baseman Halter – enmeshed in a 3-for-27 slow start to his time in Lansing – tripled to right-center past diving right fielder Austin Hendrick. Pérez, himself 1-for-16 in the series, followed with a drive over the head of center fielder Hector Rodriguez to give Lansing the lead.

In the bottom of the ninth, Dayton put its first two batters on with a Sal Stewart single and a Cade Hunter HBP against Pedro Santos. But Santos – victimized by a walk-off in the series opener on a Pérez dropped fly in center – bore down and coaxed a fielder’s choice from Jack Rogers and a lineout from Ruben Ibarra before freezing Hendrick with a curve to end the game.

Lansing had taken a 2-0 lead on RBI singles from Halter and Euribiel Ángeles in the second inning against José Acuña, though Dayton squared the score in the third on an RBI triple by Edwin Arroyo and RBI single from Stewart.

That was the sole extent of the offense for the hosts. Lansing starter Garland turned in his finest outing since a 7-inning, 10-strikeout gem on May 18th, scattering five hits, walking none and striking four in six innings of mastery.

Kumar Nambiar followed with a perfect seventh and a perfect eighth before Santos locked down the ninth.

Former Blue Jays 2021 first-rounder Gunnar Hoglund makes his Lugnuts debut on Saturday night with the Nuts going for a third straight victory in the Gem City. First pitch is set for 7:10 p.m.

The Nuts return to Michigan’s state capital for their final homestand of the year from August 29 through September 3 against the West Michigan Whitecaps. Tickets are available at the box office, via lansinglugnuts.com or by calling (517) 485-4500.

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