LANSING, Mich. - Nick Sinay broke the Midwest League record for hit-by-pitches in a season, but the South Bend Cubs (29-28, 68-58) completed a four-game sweep of the Lansing Lugnuts (21-36, 58-65), 8-7 in 11 innings on Monday afternoon at Cooley Law School Stadium.In the bottom of the seventh inning,
LANSING, Mich. - Nick Sinay broke the Midwest League record for hit-by-pitches in a season, but the South Bend Cubs (29-28, 68-58) completed a four-game sweep of the Lansing Lugnuts (21-36, 58-65), 8-7 in 11 innings on Monday afternoon at Cooley Law School Stadium.
In the bottom of the seventh inning, a fastball from left-hander Yapson Gomez made history, plunking Sinay to push the Lugnuts outfielder past 2008 Clinton outfielder Jonathan "Dirt" Greene with his 37th HBP.
The game paused six minutes for the crowd and players to view the partial solar eclipse following the seventh inning.
The Lugnuts brought a 6-5 lead to the ninth, thanks to an RBI double from Javier Hernandez in the eighth, only to see an RBI groundout from Kevonte Mitchell tie the score and force extra innings.
Christopher Pieters supplied the decisive blow, lining a two-run single off Griffin Glaude (Loss, 4-3) with two outs in the top of the eleventh inning to give the Cubs an 8-6 lead.
In the bottom of the eleventh, Ridge Smith and Sinay drew walks from debuting Manuel Rodriguez (Save, 1), and Rodrigo Orozco singled in Smith to bring the Lugnuts within one run. Kevin Vicuña grounded to short and Sinay attempted to score, but catcher Alberto Mineo received the throw from Aramis Ademan and tagged Sinay out in a close play. Nash Knight grounded out to first to end the game.
South Bend southpaw Wyatt Short (Win, 4-3) pitched two scoreless innings to notch the victory, though his final inning ended unusually. With one out in the tenth and Mitch Nay at first base, a J.B. Woodman drive to deep right-center was dropped by a leaping Pieters. Nay played it cautiously, with Woodman nearly catching up with him between first and second base. Momentum built, Nay was windmilled around third base where he was thrown out at the plate by a sizable margin. Woodman attempted to advance to third, but was also thrown out to end the inning.
In the loss, Nay went 2-for-4 with a walk, double and his eighth home run of the season, while 19-year-old Vicuna finished 4-for-6 with four singles.
The Lugnuts look to halt a season-high seven-game losing streak at 7:05 p.m. Tuesday in Great Lakes, sending right-hander Patrick Murphy (3-3, 3.07) to the mound in the opener.
On Friday, the Nuts return home for a three-game series with the Fort Wayne TinCaps, opening with Oldsmobile Heritage Night presented with the R.E. Olds Transportation Museum featuring postgame LAFCU Fireworks. Tickets may be purchased at the Cooley Law School Stadium box office, by calling (517) 485-4500 or via lansinglugnuts.com.
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