Muncy rallies Lugs to 5-4 victory
DAYTON, OH – Max Muncy delivered an RBI double and a two-run single, and the Lansing Lugnuts (16-23, 41-64) held off the Dayton Dragons (12-25, 51-52), 5-4, on Thursday night at Day Air Ballpark. The Lugnuts have won the last two games of the series, dropping the Dragons below the
DAYTON, OH – Max Muncy delivered an RBI double and a two-run single, and the Lansing Lugnuts (16-23, 41-64) held off the Dayton Dragons (12-25, 51-52), 5-4, on Thursday night at Day Air Ballpark.
The Lugnuts have won the last two games of the series, dropping the Dragons below the .500 mark in overall record for the first time since the 2019 season.
Trailing 2-0 in the sixth, Muncy doubled into the left field corner to bring in Sahid Valenzuela, putting the Lugnuts on the board.
An inning later, the Nuts exploded for four runs against reliever Jake Gilbert. An error, a Joshwan Wright bunt single and a Patrick McColl opposite-field single loaded the bases, and Brayan Buelvas drew a walk to tie the game. Gilbert struck out both Valenzuela and Cooper Bowman, but threw a wild pitch on strike three to Bowman to bring in Wright for a 3-2 Lugnuts lead. That brought up Muncy, who lined a base hit into left to plate McColl and Buelvas, capping the rally with a pair of important insurance runs.
A key to tonight's victory?
— Lansing Lugnuts (@LansingLugnuts) August 12, 2022
Two big swings from @Maxmuncy_8. pic.twitter.com/2Ru97olnrZ
The Dragons loaded the bases in the bottom of the seventh inning, but settled for only one run on a Noelvi Marte sacrifice fly, drawing within 5-3.
In the eighth inning, Austin Hendrick reached on an HBP, stole second, took third on a throwing error by catcher Shane McGuire and scored on a Michel Triana groundout to bring the Dragons within 5-4.
And in the ninth, Ashton Creal led off with a single and stole second base, but Calvin Coker set down the Dragons’ top three hitters, Justice Thompson, Noelvi Marte and Tyler Callihan, to end the game.
Coker recorded the final six outs, following Brock Whittlesey (1 1/3 innings) and Kumar Nambiar (2/3 of an inning).
Lugnuts starter Joey Estes struck out five while limiting the Dragons to three hits in five innings, allowing solely a two-run homer to Hendrick.
Dayton 19-year-old starter Chase Petty, the youngest pitcher in the Midwest League, tossed four hitless innings with one walk and six strikeouts. He was followed to the mound by rehabbing Major Leaguer Art Warren, who pitched a hitless fifth in his second appearance of the series.
The Lugnuts send right-hander Jake Walkinshaw (3.00 ERA) to the mound on Friday night at 7:05 p.m., facing Dayton southpaw Steve Hajjar (12.00 ERA).
The Nuts play the Dragons through Sunday at Day Air Ballpark before returning to Lansing for a six-game series with Great Lakes from August 16-21. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit lansinglugnuts.com or call (517) 485-4500.
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