FORT WAYNE, Ind. - Jesus Navarro dashed home with the tie-breaking run on a Jalen Washington passed ball, and the Lansing Lugnuts (24-20, 67-47) completed a three-game sweep of the Fort Wayne TinCaps (19-24, 51-61) with a rain-shortened 5-4 seven-inning victory on Monday night at Parkview Field.The Lugnuts will start a
FORT WAYNE, Ind. - Jesus Navarro dashed home with the tie-breaking run on a Jalen Washington passed ball, and the Lansing Lugnuts (24-20, 67-47) completed a three-game sweep of the Fort Wayne TinCaps (19-24, 51-61) with a rain-shortened 5-4 seven-inning victory on Monday night at Parkview Field.
The Lugnuts will start a seven-game homestand on Wednesday having won ten of their last 12 games.
The Nuts were held hitless through the first five innings by 18-year-old Luis Patiño, but rallied from a 2-0 deficit in the sixth with approaching lightning switching the sky above on and off. Jesus Navarro broke up the no-hitter with a leadoff double, the first of four hits, plus one walk, two Washington passed balls and a wild pitch that led to four runs and a 4-2 lead.
After the TinCaps answered with a pair of RBI doubles against Emerson Jimenez (Blown Save, 3; Win, 1-0), tying the score, Navarro led off the seventh inning against Dylan Coleman (Loss, 1-1) with an infield single, moving to second base on a throwing error by third baseman Kelvin Melean - the TinCaps' fourth consecutive inning with an error. Samad Taylor sacrificed Navarro to third base, putting him in position to dash home on Washington's third passed ball of the night.
With the rain already begin to come down, heralding the arrival of a thunderstorm, Orlando Pascual (Save, 1) pitched a perfect bottom of the seventh, striking out prospect Esteury Ruiz to finish it.
The skies truly opened up before the top of the eighth, drenching downtown Fort Wayne. The game was called after a 35-minute delay.
Lugnuts starter Kyle Weatherly enjoyed a memorable night in a no-decision, striking out a career high eight batters in five innings while allowing only a pair of third-inning runs.
Navarro went 2-for-3 with two runs scored to lead the Nuts' offense, with Ryan Noda drawing two walks to increase his league-leading total to 86 this season.
The Lugnuts enjoy a day off Tuesday before returning to Cooley Law School Stadium this Wednesday, August 8th, for the start of a seven-game homestand against the Dayton Dragons and Bowling Green Hot Rods. To purchase tickets and live the Lug Life, visit lansinglugnuts.com or call (517) 485-4500.
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