Murphy gem helps Lugs capture 1500th win

SOUTH BEND, Ind. - The Lansing Lugnuts (20-17) captured their 1500th win as a franchise, defeating the South Bend Cubs (25-14), 5-1, on Thursday night at Four Winds Field.

Patrick Murphy (Win, 3-1) carried a perfect game bid into the sixth inning against a Cubs team that had won 12 of its prior 15 games. Murphy fired seven innings, limiting the Cubs to three hits and one run, striking out five and lowering his ERA to 3.51.

The victory snapped a season-high five-game losing streak.

Right fielder Edward Olivares (2-3, 2 RBI, SB) got the Lugnuts on the board early with a one-out RBI single in a two-run second inning against South Bend starter Dylan Cease(Loss, 1-2).

Leadoff man Jake Thomas (2-5, 2B, 3B, R) also had a productive night batting at the top of the order. Thomas leads Minor League Baseball with a .500 on-base percentage.

Lansing put the game away with two insurance runs in the ninth inning, thanks to an Olivares sacrifice fly and a Yeltsin Gudino RBI single. Gudino extended his consecutive on-base streak to 18 games.

Jackson McClelland (Save, 7) recorded the final four outs, stranding the potential game-tying runs in scoring position in the eighth before working around a walk in the ninth.

The second game of the four-game series will be played at 7:35 p.m. on Friday night. Lansing's Denis Diaz (0-1, 7.47) goes for his first win against Cubs left-hander Jose Paulino (2-0, 4.25).

The next homestand at Cooley Law School Stadium stretches from Monday, May 22nd, through Monday, May 29th, featuring four-game series with the Lake County Captains and the Great Lakes Loons. Purchase your tickets at the Cooley Law School Stadium box office, by calling (517) 485-4500 or via lansinglugnuts.com.
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