Morales cools off Fort Wayne to earn first pro win
FORT WAYNE, Ind. – Top Oakland Athletics pitching prospect Luis Morales set new career highs in innings pitched and strikeouts to win his first professional game, leading the Lansing Lugnuts (21-21) to an 8-2 victory over the Fort Wayne TinCaps (19-23) on Thursday night at Parkview Field. The win put
FORT WAYNE**,* *Ind**. – Top Oakland Athletics pitching prospect Luis Morales set new career highs in innings pitched and strikeouts to win his first professional game, leading the Lansing Lugnuts (21-21) to an 8-2 victory over the Fort Wayne TinCaps (19-23) on Thursday night at Parkview Field.
The win put a simultaneous end to Lansing’s three-game losing streak and Fort Wayne’s seven-game winning streak.
The 21-year-old Morales allowed only a first-inning run, scored on a single, a stolen base, and two wild pitches. He dominated from there, striking out eight batters in all while spreading four singles and a walk in each of his five innings. The right-hander from Antilla, Cuba, finished with a whiff of 17-year-old Ethan Salas, his second strikeout of the Padres’ wunderkind.
The Lugnuts’ offense, meanwhile, seized control with a three-run fourth against Fort Wayne starter Miguel Cienfuegos, adding two runs against Cienfuegos in the sixth, two against reliever Mitchell Miller in the seventh, and closing out with a Will Simpson’s third home run of the year in the ninth off Joan Gonzalez.
Euribiel Ángeles, himself a Fort Wayne TinCap back in 2021, led Lansing’s 12-hit attack with three singles in five at-bats, and Cameron Masterman (2-for-4, RBI single, double); Brayan Buelvas (2-for-5, single, RBI triple) and Danny Bautista, Jr. (2-for-4, RBI single) added multi-hit efforts.
Luis Carrasco followed Morales with three scoreless two-hit innings, striking out one. Colton Johnson pitched the ninth, allowing a solo home run to Tyler Robertson in the ninth to close the scoring.
Reigning Midwest League Hitter of the Week Henry Bolte departed the game early, finishing 1-for-3 with a single, a walk and a run scored.
The Nuts go for two straight against the TinCaps at 7:05 p.m. Friday, sending right-hander Jacob Watters against Padres prospect Henry Baez.
The Lugnuts next return home from May 28-June 2 to host Peoria. For tickets and further information, visit milb.com/lansing or call (517) 485-4500.
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