Butler HR walks off Dragons in 10th
LANSING, Mich. – Jonny Butler led off the bottom of the tenth inning with a game-winning two-run homer, and the Lansing Lugnuts (10-11) beat the Dayton Dragons (9-12) in ten innings, 10-9, on Sunday afternoon at Jackson® Field™. Butler’s second longball of the season, and the Nuts’ first walk-off homer
LANSING, Mich. – Jonny Butler led off the bottom of the tenth inning with a game-winning two-run homer, and the Lansing Lugnuts (10-11) beat the Dayton Dragons (9-12) in ten innings, 10-9, on Sunday afternoon at Jackson® Field™.
Butler’s second longball of the season, and the Nuts’ first walk-off homer since Brayan Buelvas achieved the feat vs. Peoria on June 17, 2023, clinched a six-game series split with Dayton.
JONNY B. WALKOFF@jonnybutler333 pic.twitter.com/sRCCYfiNJM
— Lansing Lugnuts (@LansingLugnuts) April 28, 2024
The Lugnuts built leads of 6-1 and 8-5, but the Dragons tied the score at 8-8 in the ninth inning on a Cam Collier RBI double, a Cade Hunter RBI groundout and a Yehizon Sanchez wild pitch.
Lansing had an opportunity to win in the bottom of the ninth, loading the bases against Easton Sikorski with one out. Sikorski struck out Buelvas and retired Cameron Masterman on a flyout to right to force extra innings.
Facing Hunter Breault in the top of the tenth, Leo Balcazar singled in pinch-runner Ethan O’Donnell for a 9-8 lead, Dayton’s first lead of the game.
But Butler delivered a prompt response in the home half, driving a 1-0 pitch from Sikorski well out to right-center to send his teammates and the crowd into a jubilant celebration.
Emotions were high earlier as well. In the bottom of the seventh inning, Euribiel Ángeles homered off Dragons reliever Pedro Alfonseca, who then delivered a pitch behind the head of the next batter, CJ Rodriguez, and a second pitch high and tight. Rodriguez followed with a single to left field, words were exchanged, and the benches and bullpens subsequently emptied, leading to the ejections of Alfonseca and Lansing pitching coach Don Schulze.
Ángeles finished the game 3-for-5 with a single, double and homer, part of a 16-hit effort. Will Simpson went 3-for-4 with a triple and an intentional walk, and Butler, Buelvas and Colby Halter each collected two hits of their own.
After a day off on Monday, the Lugnuts remain home for the start of a six-game series with the South Bend Cubs running from April 30 – May 5. 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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