Lugs' power hitting, pitching fuel 5-2 win

SOUTH BEND, Ind. - Norberto Obeso and Brandon Grudzielanek homered and Brody Rodning and Dany Jimenez combined for 11 strikeouts in six scoreless innings of relief, powering the Lansing Lugnuts (16-18, 59-45) past the South Bend Cubs (17-17, 51-52), 5-2, on Friday night at Four Winds Field.

The Lugnuts took two of three games in the series and have won three of their last four after ending a nine-game losing streak.

After driving in three of the Lugnuts' four runs in the Wednesday opener and both runs in a 2-1 victory on Thursday, Obeso stayed hot with a two-run homer to right off South Bend starter Brendon Little (Loss, 4-8) in a three-run third inning that gave Lansing an early 4-0 lead. It was his third home run of the year.

Miguel Amaya put the Cubs on the board with a two-run single off Lugnuts starting pitcher Kyle Weatherly in the bottom of the third, breaking up a streak of 23 consecutive scoreless innings for Lugnuts starters.

Weatherly departed after three innings, allowing three hits, two walks and one strikeout, replaced by Rodning (Win, 2-3). The Cubs immediately marshaled a threat with a walk and a double, but the left-hander stranded both runners in scoring position and cruised from there, whiffing four batters and allowing only one further hit through the sixth.

Jimenez took the baton in the seventh and established dominance. After giving up a broken-bat single to Chris Singleton on his first pitch, the right-hander struck out the next six Cubs in a row.

Grudzielanek crushed his second home run of the season in the eighth, a no-doubt shot to left-center.

In the ninth, the Cubs threatened Jimenez with two outs, putting two runners on via a Jesus Navarro throwing error and a Delvin Zinn single. But Jimenez blew away Christian Donahue on three straight pitches for his seventh strikeout, earning his seventh save.

The Nuts travel to Dayton for the second leg of their seven-game road trip, opening up a four-game set at Fifth Third Field at 7:07 p.m. Saturday. Left-hander Matt Gunter (4.94 ERA) matches up with Dragons right-hander Austin Orewiler (3.59).

The Nuts return home to Cooley Law School Stadium from August 1st-3rd, welcoming in these same South Bend Cubs for a brief homestand: Wednesday, August 1st, is a Winning Wednesday; Thursday, August 2nd, is a Labatt Thirsty Thursday - Young Professionals Night; and Friday, August 3rd, is a Family Faith Night with postgame LAFCU Fireworks. To purchase tickets and live the Lug Life, visit lansinglugnuts.com or call (517) 485-4500.
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