Lugnuts escape 9th, blow Dragons out in 10th

DAYTON, OH – Aiden McIntyre escaped a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the ninth and Max Schuemann rocketed a two-run homer in a five-run tenth inning, lifting the Lansing Lugnuts (4-3) to a 9-4 series-opening victory over the division-leading Dayton Dragons (5-2) on Tuesday night at Day Air Ballpark.

The Dragons came into their 2021 home opener having taken five of six games in Midland against the Great Lakes Loons, and threatened to win on this night as well, tying the game at 4-4 in the sixth on solo home runs by Miguel Hernández and Brian Rey before loading the bases in the bottom of the ninth inning against McIntyre with two outs.

But McIntyre quashed all thoughts of a walk-off with a three-pitch strikeout of first baseman José Tello, setting the stage for the Lugnuts to blow the game open in extra innings.

The broadcast highlights of tonight's win, as called from Lansing by @jgoldstrass: https://t.co/TPhg0PN4bx

— Lansing Lugnuts (@LansingLugnuts) May 12, 2021

Drew Millas opened the tenth with a single to left off Dayton reliever Tyler Garbee, moving zombie runner Michael Guldberg to third base. Jordan Díaz delivered his second sacrifice fly of the game to break the tie. Ryan Gridley followed with his second double of the game, giving the Lugnuts a 6-4 lead. Two batters later, Schuemann (Portage Northern H.S. / Eastern Michigan University) launched a Garbee offering beneath the video board in left field for his first home run of the year, putting the Nuts into an 8-4 lead. Shane Selman added icing on the cake with an RBI single two batters later.

McIntyre remained on the mound for the bottom of the tenth, sewing up the win with a double-play grounder and a flyout to center field.

Lansing manager Scott Steinmann was not around to see the finish, ejected for the first time in 2021 for disputing with home-plate umpire Cliburn Rondon in the fourth inning that third baseman Cobie Vance had been hit by a pitch.

The Lugnuts collected 11 hits in the game, led by right fielder Jake Suddleson finishing 3-for-5 with two doubles. Including Gridley’s two doubles and a two-bagger by second baseman Elvis Peralta, Jr., and the Nuts now lead the High-A Central with 21 doubles in seven games.

Starting pitcher Rafael Kelly allowed two runs on eight hits in five innings, walking one and striking out five. Dalton Sawyer gave up the pair of home runs in the sixth before Charles Hall struck out four Dragons in a scoreless seventh and eighth, setting the stage for McIntyre.

Left-hander Brady Basso (2.25 ERA) will start the second game of the six-game series, opposed by Dayton right-hander Eduardo Salazar (0.00) at 7:05 p.m. Wednesday.

The next Nuts homestand will run from Tuesday, May 25, through Sunday, May 30, against the Great Lakes Loons. To purchase tickets, please visit lansinglugnuts.com or call (517) 485-4500.

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