Lugs' bats stay hot in 11-2 Sunday rout

LANSING, Mich. - Bradley Jones  and Ryan Hissey homered, and the Lansing Lugnuts (9-8) torched Bowling Green Hot Rods (8-8) pitching for a second straight day, romping to an 11-2 win on Sunday afternoon at Cooley Law School Stadium.


Bowling Green pitchers had held the Lugnuts scoreless for the first 15 2/3 innings and outscored Lansing 19-2 in the first 23 innings of the four-game series. In the final 11 innings of the series, however, the Nuts outscored the Hot Rods 23-4 en route to clinching a series split.

The Lugnuts lead the Midwest League in team batting average (.264), runs scored (90), on-base percentage (.362) and walks (77) - particularly after drawing 10 walks in back to back games.

Lansing jumped on Bowling Green starter Adrian Navas (Loss, 1-3) with four-run rallies in both the first inning and the fourth inning.

In the first inning, Vladimir Guerrero, Jr. pounded a two-run double and Bradley Jones followed with a two-run homer, tying for first in the league with his sixth home run of the season.

Bo Bichette supplied the biggest blow in the fourth, bouncing a two-run double down the left field line. Two batters later, Jones scorched an RBI single to left, knocking out Navas.

The Lugnuts put the game away in the sixth, with Ryan Hissey swatting a three-run homer to right against reliever Dalton Moats.

The Hot Rods broke up the shutout bid in the sixth, thanks to an RBI grounder from Jonah Heim. An inning later, Robbie Tenerowicz's RBI double closed out the scoring.

Nuts starter Justin Maese (Win, 2-2) tossed 5 1/3 innings, allowing one unearned run on five hits, walking one and striking out three. He was relieved by Chris Hall, who pitched two innings in his Midwest League debut, striking out two and giving up one run on two hits and three walks.

Philip Walby recorded the final two outs in the eighth, striking out one, and Zach Jackson pitched a hitless, scoreless ninth, whiffing Adrian Rondon to end the game.

The Lugnuts' offensive effort was headlined by efforts from Vladimir Guerrero, Jr. and Jake Thomas. Guerrero went 2-for-3 with two runs, two RBIs and two walks. Thomas reached base five times out of the nine-hole in the lineup, drawing three walks, lining a single, getting hit by a pitch and scoring a run.

The Lugnuts next welcome the South Bend Cubs to town for a three-game homestand stretching through Wednesday. The series opener is at 7:05 p.m. on Monday, the first of the Nuts' Dog Days of Summer! Fans are welcome to bring their dogs to the ballpark Monday, and every subsequent Monday home game during the season.

Lansing right-hander Patrick Murphy (1-0, 4.91) is expected to receive the start, taking on South Bend right-hander Dylan Cease (0-1, 0.60). Tickets may be purchased at the Cooley Law School Stadium box office, by calling (517) 485-4500 or via lansinglugnuts.com.
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