GENEVA, Ill. - Jake Brodt went 2-for-4 with an RBI single and Nick Podkul 's on-base streak reached 20 games, but the Lansing Lugnuts (14-20) lost to the Kane County Cougars (20-15), 6-2, in the middle tilt of a three-game series on Friday night at Northwestern Medicine Field.The Lugnuts fell
GENEVA, Ill. - Jake Brodt went 2-for-4 with an RBI single and Nick Podkul 's on-base streak reached 20 games, but the Lansing Lugnuts (14-20) lost to the Kane County Cougars (20-15), 6-2, in the middle tilt of a three-game series on Friday night at Northwestern Medicine Field.
The Lugnuts fell to 0-5 on their six-game road trip.
They were in danger of being shut out for the third time on the trip, entering the ninth trailing 6-0, but Otto Lopez led off the ninth against reliever Wesley Rodriguez with a walk, Ryan Gold singled him to third, Nick Podkul drew a walk to load the bags, and, after a strikeout of Tanner Kirwer , Brodt punched a 2-2 pitch into right field to bring in Lopez. Hagen Danner followed with a sacrifice fly against Blake Workman (Save, 4) before Dom Abbadessa flied out to right field to end the game.
Before the ninth, the Lugnuts had been blanked on four hits, two apiece against starter Matt Tabor in the first 3 2/3 innings and Kenny Hernandez (Win, 3-0) in the next 3 1/3 innings before Rodriguez entered to toss a 1-2-3 eighth.
One of those hits, a seventh-inning single, was supplied by third baseman Podkul, who finished 1-for-3 with a walk to reach base in his 20th consecutive game, setting a new team high. Podkul's streak began on April 15th, and has raised his batting average from .120 to .272.
Nuts starter Sean Wymer (Loss, 2-2) lasted only two innings, pitching a 1-2-3 first before serving up a Blaze Alexander two-run homer in the second inning for a 2-0 Kane County. It was the fifth straight game that Lugnuts pitchers had allowed runs in either the first or second inning. Wymer then walked the bases loaded, but escaped further damage.
A trio of Lugnuts relievers handled the next six innings: Mike Pascoe allowed three runs on four hits and three walks in 1 2/3 innings, Will McAffer struck out five while giving up one run on three hits and a walk, and Sean Rackoski pitched around a single while striking out two in a scoreless eighth.
The Nuts send right-hander Fitz Stadler (7.20 ERA) to avert a three-game sweep on Saturday at 2:00 p.m. Eastern, 1:00 p.m. local, opposed by Kane County right-hander Justin Lewis (3.42 ERA).
The Lugnuts return home for a three-game series against the West Michigan Whitecaps from a Dollar Monday, May 13th, through a Dog Days of Summer Wednesday, May 15th. To live the Lug Life and purchase tickets, visit lansinglugnuts.com or call (517) 485-4500.
# # #
