Loons stave off Lugs, 5-4

MIDLAND**, Mich. –* *Will Simpson** went 3-for-5 and added three more RBIs to his Midwest League-leading total, but the Lansing Lugnuts (19-22, 51-55) came up one run short, 5-4, against the Great Lakes Loons (21-19, 55-51) on Saturday night at Dow Diamond.

The Loons pinned four runs to Lugnuts starter Luis Morales and added a fifth run off Blaze Pontes to take a 5-2 lead to the sixth inning, and then held on.

Facing Jacob Meador with the bases loaded and two outs in the top of the sixth, Simpson – who had drilled an RBI double in the first inning for his 68th RBI of the year – dented the right field wall with a drive to score Cole Conn and Sahid Valenzuela, but Ryan Lasko, the potential game-tying run, was thrown out at the plate to retire the side. Simpson was credited with a two-run single, his league-leading 69th and 70th runs batted in.

The Nuts then stranded a one-out single from Nate Nankil in the seventh, a two-out two-base error for Jared Dickey in the eighth, and singles from Luke Mann and T.J. Schofield-Sam in the ninth, finishing with 13 runners left on.

In defeat, Morales struck out six batters in 4 1/3 innings, allowing four hits and three walks. Pontes followed with 2 1/3 innings before Yehizon Sanchez worked 1 1/3 perfect innings.

Both Nankil and Cole Conn collected two hits in the loss, while Lasko went 1-for-3 with two walks.

Needing a victory in the Sunday 1:05 p.m. finale to gain a series split, Lansing sends right-hander Grant Judkins to the mound against Great Lakes right-hander Payton Martin.

After the series wraps on Sunday, the Lugnuts return home from August 13-18 against West Michigan. For tickets and further information, visit milb.com/lansing or call (517) 485-4500.

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