Buffo goes seven, wins 7th, in Lugnuts' 10-1 rout

LANSING, Mich. - Maverik Buffo tossed a career high seven innings to become the first Midwest League pitcher to reach seven wins, and the Lansing Lugnuts (33-19) romped past the Lake County Captains (21-31), 10-1, in the opener of a three-game series on Wednesday night at Cooley Law School Stadium.

The Captains committed four errors in the game, causing eight of the Lugnuts' ten runs to be unearned. That included all six runs in a second-inning rally that gave the Nuts an early 7-0 lead against Lake County starter Nick Gallagher (Loss, 0-2).

Gallagher worked four innings in all, allowing ten hits and eight runs, only one of which was earned.

Meanwhile, Buffo (Win, 7-1) held the Captains' offense to solely Todd Isaacs's seventh-inning solo home run. The BYU product needed only 82 pitches, 52 for strikes, issuing one walk, striking out two and scattering eight hits.

Andy Ravel followed with a scoreless eighth, and Dany Jimenez struck out the side in a perfect ninth.

The top three Lugnuts batters - Chavez Young , Kevin Vicuña and Cullen Large - combined seven hits in their first nine at-bats, with Young finishing 3-for-4 with a walk, two runs scored and an RBI. As a team, the Nuts amassed 11 hits and drew seven walks, with every starter but Brandon Grudzielanek scoring at least one run. (Grudzielanek did his part with an RBI triple.)

The Lugnuts and Captains now set their alarms early for a 10:35 a.m. start on a Winning Wednesday and a Grand Slam School Day. Caps left-hander Zack Draper makes his 2018 debut, opposing 19-year-old Lugnuts right-hander Maximo Castillo (6.25). To purchase tickets and live the Lug Life, visit lansinglugnuts.com or call (517) 485-4500.

# # #