Ellenbest, Lugnuts cruise to 7-0 win

EASTLAKE, OH - Mike Ellenbest tossed seven scoreless innings and the Lansing Lugnuts (28-22) hit three home runs in an easy 7-0 victory over the Lake County Captains (18-33) on Wednesday afternoon at Classic Park.

Bradley Jones , Edward Olivares and Bo Bichette homered, Bichette for the second straight day. The game took just two hours, 15 minutes to complete.

22-year-old Ellenbest (Win, 2-4), a product of Saginaw Valley State University, held the Captains to a mere four singles and one walk, striking out six batters in his longest start as a professional.

Dan Lietz took it the rest of the way, allowing a single apiece in the eighth and ninth innings while finishing the Lugnuts' fifth shutout of the year.

Jones broke a scoreless tie in the fourth, cracking a three-run homer to left field against Lake County starter Tanner Tully(Loss, 2-4). It was his team-leading ninth home run of the season. Two batters later, Olivares knocked a solo shot to left-center for a 4-0 lead.

Bichette led off the sixth with a first-pitch home run down the left field line, part of a 3-for-4 performance that raised his league-leading batting average to .381.

The rubber match of the three-game series will be played at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday. Lansing right-hander Andy Ravel (3-1, 6.98) starts against Captains right-hander Luis Jimenez in his Midwest League debut.

The Lansing Lugnuts return to Cooley Law School Stadium for a three-game homestand spanning June 6-8. Tickets may be purchased at the stadium box office, by calling (517) 485-4500 or via lansinglugnuts.com.
# # #