Lasko steals the show, Lugs wipe out Whitecaps in opener  

COMSTOCK PARK**, Mich. –* On a night when West Michigan debuted its 19-year-old phenom center fielder Max Clark, it was Lansing’s 22-year-old center fielder *Ryan Lasko** who took center stage with two thrilling catches and two crucial hits, lifting the Lugnuts (12-13, 44-46) to a 5-1 win over the Whitecaps (12-12, 43-47) on Tuesday night at LMCU Ballpark.

Will Simpson and Cole Conn homered for the Lugnuts to aid the winning effort, bolstered by shutout ball from starter Chen Zhong-Ao Zhuang and lights-out relief from Blaze Pontes and Hunter Breault.

But it was Lasko, the A’s 2nd-round selection in 2023 from Rutgers and the No. 15 prospect in the organization, who grabbed the raves intended for Tigers top prospect Clark: racing back to the warning track to haul in a fly from Kevin McGonigle in the first inning, leaping at the wall to take away extra bases from Eddys Leonard in the fourth inning, lasering an RBI double in the fifth inning, making a spectacular diving catch of a Max Anderson line drive in the bottom of the fifth inning, and capping the night with a frozen rope of an RBI single in the ninth inning… all in his fourth game in the Midwest League after moving up from Single-A Stockton.

Simpson’s home run in the second inning off rehabbing Austin Bergner, the first baseman’s 11th homer of the year, soared over the leaping Clark’s glove in dead center to put the Nuts up 1-0 early.

Four innings later, Conn crushed his third home run of the year to left for a 4-0 lead.

Meanwhile, Zhuang tossed four scoreless one-hit innings, striking out three – including a whiff of Clark to open the home first inning. Pontes followed with 3 2/3 innings, waiting out a 36-minute delay, allowing only a Seth Stephenson RBI fielder’s choice in the eighth inning. Breault recorded the final four outs in perfect fashion for his sixth save.

The Nuts send Luis Morales to the hill on Wednesday at 12:05 p.m., looking for a third consecutive win. West Michigan counters with right-hander Carlos Marcano.

Lansing next returns home for a six-game series starting July 30 against Dayton. For tickets and further information, visit milb.com/lansing or call (517) 485-4500.

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