Hot Rods top Lugnuts twice, 7-0 and 4-1

Will McAffer tossed 3 1/3 scoreless innings out of the Lugnuts' bullpen. (Miguel Arcaute / Lansing Lugnuts)

By Jesse Goldberg-Strassler

June 2, 2019

LANSING, Mich. - Behind the pitching of first-rounders Shane Baz and Matthew Liberatore, the Bowling Green Hot Rods (34-23) defeated the Lansing Lugnuts (24-31) twice on Sunday afternoon at Cooley Law School Stadium, 7-0 and 4-1.In the first game, resumed after it was suspended due to rain in the middle

LANSING, Mich. - Behind the pitching of first-rounders Shane Baz and Matthew Liberatore, the Bowling Green Hot Rods (34-23) defeated the Lansing Lugnuts (24-31) twice on Sunday afternoon at Cooley Law School Stadium, 7-0 and 4-1.

In the first game, resumed after it was suspended due to rain in the middle of the first inning from Saturday with the Hot Rods leading 1-0, Baz (Win, 2-0) tossed five shutout innings, striking out seven, and allowing only two hits and two walks.

Cristopher Sanchez followed with three scoreless frames before Trey Cumbie handled a perfect ninth, wrapping up the four-hit shutout.

Lansing starter Sean Wymer (Loss, 2-5) suffered the hard-luck defeat, pitching only the first inning on Saturday and allowing Wander Franco's sixth home run of the season.

Franco added a third-inning RBI double against reliever Fitz Stadler , who gave up nine hits and six runs - the majority during a four-run fifth inning that blew the game open.

In the loss, Will McAffer pitched 3 1/3 scoreless innings, Rafael Lantigua went 2-for-2 with two singles and a walk in the loss and Hagen Danner went 1-for-4 with his third triple of the year.

In the regularly scheduled game, shortened to seven innings, Liberatore (Win, 3-0) struck out five Lugnuts in six innings and gave up only one run - a Reggie Pruitt steal of home in the sixth inning.

Joel Peguero (Save, 5) struck out three batters around a walk to close out the game.

Lugnuts starter Cobi Johnson (Loss, 1-5) lasted two innings, allowing Grant Witherspoon's RBI single following two walks in the first inning and Ford Proctor's two-run double following two hit-by-pitches and a third walk in the second inning.

Sean Rackoski gave the Lugnuts three scoreless innings out of the bullpen, succeeded by Cre Finfrock , who pitched the final two frames and allowed an RBI triple to Kaleo Johnson in the seventh.

The Lugnuts now head on the road for a 10-day, 11-game trip to Great Lakes, Lake County and South Bend beginning Tuesday in Midland, Michigan. The next Nuts home game will also be against the Bowling Green Hot Rods, opening a three-game series to conclude the first half from June 14-16. To live the Lug Life and purchase tickets to Sunday or throughout the 2019 season, visit lansinglugnuts.com or call (517) 485-4500.
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