Bolte drives in five, Lugnuts clinch split

DAYTON, OH – Henry Bolte went 3-for-5 with five RBIs and Luis Morales and Jacob Watters delivered four strong innings apiece, as the Lansing Lugnuts (30-27) eased past the Dayton Dragons (28-29), 7-1, on Sunday afternoon at Day Air Ballpark.

The Nuts had lost three straight to Dayton after taking the series opener, but recovered to win both games over the weekend – by a combined 21-2! – to secure a split of the six-game series.

Bolte’s performance served as a microcosm of the series; the 20-year-old phenom struck out four time in each of the first three games of the series, but rebounded to go 6-for-14 at the plate in the final three games.

After striking out against Dayton starter Ryan Cardona in the first inning, Bolte delivered the game’s first run in his second at-bat, singling home Jonny Butler in the fourth inning.

Cam Collier tied the score with a home run in the bottom of the fourth, but Cameron Masterman broke the tie in the fifth with a home run and Bolte plated Casey Yamauchi and Butler with a two-out, two-run triple, for a 4-1 Lugnuts lead.

In the seventh, CJ Rodriguez crushed an RBI triple and Bolte brought Rodriguez in with an RBI groundout for a 6-1 lead.

And in the ninth, Butler doubled and Bolte followed with an RBI single to left-center, capping the scoring. Leadoff-hitting Butler finished 2-for-4 with a walk, two doubles, a stolen base and three runs scored.

Aside from Collier’s home run, the Dragons’ offense was toothless against Morales (four innings, two hits, no walks, four strikeouts) and Watters (four innings, three hits, two walks, one strikeout).
Colton Johnson pitched around a single and a walk in the ninth to wrap up the win in two hours and 22 minutes.

With nine games remaining in the first half, the Lugnuts trail division-leading Lake County by four games for the sole first-half East Division playoff berth. After 66 games, won-lost records will reset for the second half.

Following a day off Monday, the Nuts return home June 11-16 for a six-game series with Cedar Rapids. For tickets and further information, visit milb.com/lansing or call (517) 485-4500.

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