Captains avoid sweep, shutting out Lugs

EASTLAKE, OH -Eric Pardinho struck out five in five innings in his second Midwest League started, but Alex Royalty outdueled him with six scoreless innings, helping the Lake County Captains (11-7, 51-36) beat the Lansing Lugnuts (9-9, 41-46), 2-0, on Monday night at Classic Park.

The Lugnuts won two of three games in the series, the opening leg of a nine-game, ten-day road trip.

The 18-year-old Pardinho (Loss, 0-1), the youngest pitcher in the Midwest League, set down the first eight batters faced and struck out four in the first three innings, but fell victim to three straight one-out ground-ball singles by Jose Fermin, Ruben Cardenas and Jesse Berardi in the fourth inning.

Bo Naylor added a solo home run in the eighth against Fitz Stadler for insurance, which proved more than enough for Royalty (Win, 5-4) and two relievers.

The Lake County right-hander escaped jams in the first and third innings on line-drive double plays and then received good fortune in the fourth inning when Johnny Aiello 's drive to left with Jake Brodt aboard one-hopped over the fence for an automatic double, keeping Brodt at third base, where he was stranded. Royalty finished with three hits, one walk and two HBPs allowed, striking out four.

Luis Araujo pitched a perfect seventh inning, and Skylar Arias worked around an HBP in a hitless eighth and ninth, completing the three-hit shutout.

The Midwest League is idle on Tuesday for the Major League Baseball All-Star Game, with the Lugnuts traveling to Peoria, Illinois, for the start of a three-game series with the Chiefs on Wednesday.

The Nuts' next homestand runs from July 17-22 against the Burlington Bees and Clinton LumberKings. To live the Lug Life and purchase tickets, visit lansinglugnuts.com, call (517) 485-4500 or come to the Cooley Law School Stadium box office at 505 E. Michigan Ave. in downtown Lansing.
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