Lugnuts clock out, walk-off Caps

LANSING, Mich. – For the fourth straight game, the Lansing Lugnuts (11-14) beat the West Michigan Whitecaps (8-17). For the third straight game, the Lugnuts won by a 6-5 score. For a second time in the stretch, the Lugnuts won via walk-off.

Still, this was a bit different: Aided by a pair of pitch clock violations, *Lawrence Butler *worked a two-out bases-loaded walk from Michael Bienlien in the tenth inning, forcing in *Jack Winkler *from third with the game-winning run in a 6-5 Nuts triumph on Friday night at Jackson® Field™.

The Whitecaps had tied the game at 5-5 on Trei Cruz’s RBI single in the ninth, but left the bases loaded in the tenth inning after right fielder *Austin Beck *dove to catch a two-out Ulrich Bojarski flare. It was the third time in the game that the Caps had left the bases loaded, amounting to more than half of the visitors’ 17 runners left on base.

Lansing starter *Stevie Emanuels *struck out six batters in four innings, allowing two runs on five hits and five walks before having his night ended due to high pitch count. He was followed by *Daniel Martinez *for 1 1/3 innings, *Joe DeMers *for 2 2/3 innings and *Angello Infante *for one inning, with each reliever charged with one run. *Trayson Kubo *pitched around two walks in the tenth.

Butler finished the game 1-for-3 with four RBIs, two runs scored and two walks, having opened the game with a first-inning three-run homer that helped the Lugnuts play from in front throughout the night.
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Patrick McColl *and *Tyler Soderstrom *each finished 2-for-4 and *Matt Cross *supplied an RBI double in the winning cause.

Lansing looks for its first five-game winning streak since August 2019 when right-hander *Jeff Criswell *(3.98 ERA), the reigning Midwest League Pitcher of the Week, faces West Michigan ace Wilmer Flores (1.29 ERA) on Comic Book Night – a free comic book will be given to the first 500 fans! First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m., with gates opening at 6 p.m. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit lansinglugnuts.com or call (517) 485-4500.

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