Cushing CG caps Lugnuts’ twinbill sweep

MIDLAND, MI – Jack Cushing struck out nine in a seven-inning complete game, and the Lansing Lugnuts (28-30) complete a pitching-dominant doubleheader sweep of the Great Lakes Loons (31-27) with identical 2-1 victories on Friday night at Dow Diamond.

In Game 1, the Lugnuts knocked out Great Lakes starter Logan Boyer six batters into the first inning, scoring two on a Jordan Díaz RBI single and a William Simoneit bases-loaded walk.

That was all Richard Guasch and Shohei Tomioka needed in support. Starter Guasch struck out four Loons in four innings-plus, allowing just a Leonel Valera fourth-inning solo home run. Tomioka relieved him after a walk to James Outman opened the fifth and set down the final nine Loons batters with ease, striking out five.

Each team finished the game with just two hits.

In the nightcap, a Lester Madden, Jr., RBI single in the third inning gave the Lugnuts an early 1-0 lead before Cushing stole the headlines. The Georgetown product mowed through the first 11 hitters, allowing his first base runner on a two-out walk to Outman in the fourth. He then set down the next six in a row, bringing him within four outs of a seven-inning no-hitter.

In a flash, however, the Loons tied the score: Valera and Ryan Ward delivered consecutive two-out sixth-inning singles to put runners at the corners, then executed a double steal with Valera taking home, tying the game at 1-1.

The Lugnuts quickly answered, thanks to Lazaro Armenteros. Armenteros led off the seventh with a single against Loons lefty Braidyn Fink, caused a balk by an early break for second base, stole third, and scored on a Jared McDonald sacrifice fly for a 2-1 Lugnuts lead.

In the bottom of the seventh, the Loons made things tense against Cushing. After a fine play at third by Cobie Vance supplied the first out, Joe Vranesh singled to left and took second on an error by left fielder Shane Selman. A Cushing wild pitch moved Vranesh to third, but the right-hander bore down and burned a fastball past Deacon Liput for his eighth strikeout. As their last hope, the Loons sent up pinch-hitter Justin Yurchak, boasting a .347 batting average. Cushing blew him away with a high fastball, ending the game with his 84th pitch.

In his second start, Cushing became the first Lugnut in 2021 to throw a complete game.

Lansing has defeated the Loons in three straight games and can win its first series of the year (after seven series splits and two series defeats) with a victory in either game over the weekend.

The Nuts send right-hander Reid Birlingmair (4.97 ERA) to the mound against 2020 Dodgers first-rounder Bobby Miller (2.23 ERA) on Saturday at 7:05 p.m., the fifth game of the six-game series.

The next Lugnuts home game will be on Tuesday, July 13, vs. the Lake County Captains, opening a six-game homestand. To purchase tickets, visit lansinglugnuts.com or call (517) 485-4500.

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