Late heroics result in Lugnuts’ first walk-off win

LANSING, Mich. – Right fielder Shane Selman forced extra-innings with a ninth-inning homer, threw out the potential tie-breaking run at the plate in the tenth, and Elvis Peralta, Jr.’s RBI single in the home half gave the Lansing Lugnuts (20-21) a 6-5 walk-off win over the Great Lakes Loons (20-21) before a crowd of 5,226 on Saturday night at Jackson® Field™.

The Lugnuts played while wearing the black and burgundy 1895 uniforms of the Page Fence Giants, a Black baseball team based in Adrian that won over 87% of their games, with the uniforms auctioned off during the game with all proceeds to benefit the Hamtramck Stadium restoration.

Lansing rallied from deficits of 2-0 and 4-2 early in the game, in part thanks to Max Schuemann’s fourth home run of the year.

Zac Ching’s solo home run off Charles Hall in the sixth, however, put the Loons back ahead, 5-4.

Great Lakes threatened to increase the lead in the ninth against Aiden McIntyre. With the bases loaded and one out, the Lugnuts brought the infield in against Carson Taylor, who sent a grounder past the mound. Second baseman Ryan Gridley made a diving stop to his right, starting a scintillating double play that retired the side.

Selman then led off the bottom of the ninth against Zack Plunkett with a no-doubt drive below the video board in left, tying the game at 5-5. It was Selman’s sixth home run of the season, his fourth time victimizing the Loons.

With two outs in the top of the tenth, Deacon Liput grounded a single to right field and Taylor – the placed runner at second after recording the final out in the ninth – attempted to score. Selman’s throw to catcher Drew Millas was perfect, with Millas deftly applying the tag on Taylor and flipping the ball high into the air on his way back to the dugout.

That set up the Lugnuts’ first walkoff rally of the season in the bottom of the ninth, facing Plunkett with Millas serving as the placed runner at second base. A leadoff groundout to short from Lazaro Armenteros moved Millas to third. Great Lakes opted to intentionally walk Max Schuemann, bringing up Peralta, Jr. Plunkett quickly gained the advantage with a pair of swinging strikes, but Peralta, Jr. drove the 0-2 pitch over the head of left fielder Ryan Ward, bringing in Millas to win the game.

It was the Lugnuts’ first win in 2021 when trailing after eight innings, improving to 1-20.

Lansing starter Colin Peluse tossed four innings, striking out three and allowing six hits (including a Liput two-run homer) and four runs (three earned) with one walk. Hall followed with 1 2/3 innings, allowing Ching’s solo roundtripper and recording five outs on the ground. Dalton Sawyer tossed 1 1/3 hitless innings with three strikeouts, McIntyre whiffed three in two innings and Whittlesey struck out two in his lone frame.

The Lugnuts have three of the first five games in the six-game series and will look for their first series win of the season on Father’s Day at 1:05 p.m., a Capital City Market Kids Day with Kids Run the Bases after the game. Right-hander Stevie Emanuels (5.18 ERA) gets the start against Great Lakes right-hander Logan Boyer (3.12). To purchase tickets, visit lansinglugnuts.com or call (517) 485-4500.

# # #