Lugnuts' comeback bid falls short, 7-5

LANSING, Mich. - The Cedar Rapids Kernels (21-8, 53-45) scored six runs in the fifth inning and hung on to defeat the Lansing Lugnuts (13-16, 56-43), 7-5, before a crowd of 7,899 on Saturday night at Cooley Law School Stadium.

The Kernels won their fifth straight game, while the Lugnuts dropped their eighth straight. The game was delayed one hour and 27 minutes before first pitch due to rain.

Cedar Rapids center fielder Jean Carlos Arias homered in the second inning for the game's first run, and then capped off the fifth-inning uprising with an RBI triple, giving the Kernels a 7-0 lead. All seven runs were charged to Lugnuts starter Kyle Weatherly (Loss, 2-1) in 4 1/3 innings, though only three were earned due to an error committed by shortstop Kevin Vicuña and two errors charged to third baseman Brandon Grudzielanek .

The Lugnuts' bullpen locked down the Kernels from there: after allowing Arias's triple, Orlando Pascual set down eight consecutive batters with three strikeouts, and Brayden Bouchey followed by blanking the Kernels in the eighth and ninth innings (aided by left fielder Norberto Obeso throwing out Jacob Pearson at home plate).

Meanwhile, the Nuts' offense set about making the game more interesting on Stranger Things Night.

Reilly Johnson 's two-run single in the fifth inning off Cedar Rapids starter Blayne Enlow (Win, 2-2) brought the Nuts within 7-2.

In the seventh, facing All-Star reliever Jared Finkel, Brandon Grudzielanek came home on a Reggie Pruitt grounder (with a poor throw to first by third baseman Ariel Montesino) to make it 7-3.

And in the eighth, Ryan Gold lined a two-run single off Michigander Kevin Marnon to carve the deficit to 7-5, bringing the tying run to home plate.

Marnon stiffened from there, setting down the final four Lugnuts in a row to end the game.

Gold finished 2-for-4 to lead the Lugnuts' offense. He has eight runs batted in over his last six games and has scored a run in four straight games.

Sunday is Sparrow Superhero Day with the first 1000 fans receiving a special Incredibles-themed Lugnuts Jersey - plus it's a Delta Dental Kids Day with Play Catch on the Field before the game and Kids Run the Bases after the game! First pitch is at 1:05 p.m. between Lugnuts left-hander Matt Gunter (4.47 ERA) and Kernels right-hander Jordan Balazovic (2.37). To purchase tickets and live the Lug Life, visit lansinglugnuts.com or call (517) 485-4500.
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