Noda homers twice in 4-2 loss

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. - Ryan Noda slugged two home runs, one to left and the other to right field, but those were the Lansing Lugnuts' (38-22) only runs in a 4-2 loss to the Bowling Green Hot Rods (37-21) on Thursday night at Bowling Green Ballpark.

The Lugnuts took two of three games in the series, which left the two teams in a virtual tie atop the Midwest League's Eastern Division.

The Hot Rods managed only four hits in the game, but they made them count: back-to-back doubles by All-Stars Moises Gomez and Ronaldo Hernandez in the second inning, with a run-scoring wild pitch from starter Turner Larkins (Loss, 4-5) giving the Hot Rods a 2-0 lead.

Noda drilled an opposite-field home run to left field in the third against Hot Rods starter Alex Valverde, his second home run of the season, paring the lead to 2-1. It was the only run scored against Valverde (Win, 4-2) in six innings.

In the fourth inning, Gomez walked and Hernandez homered to left, increasing the Bowling Green lead to three runs.

Noda struck again in the eighth inning, leading off against reliever Hunter Schryver with a 409-foot drive into the trees above the right-field wall. It was his first professional multi-homer game.

But Schryver recorded the game's final six outs for his sixth save, ending the game by inducing a comebacker from Kevin Vicuña with Noda in the on-deck circle.

Noda finished the game 3-for-4, giving him nine hits in his last 21 at-bats. Right fielder Chavez Young added a diving catch, a single, two walks and a stolen base in the losing cause.

The Lugnuts are currently 3-3 on their season-long 13-game, 14-day road trip, heading north to Fort Wayne next to open a four-game series with the TinCaps at 7:05 p.m. Friday with left-hander Matt Gunter (0.96 ERA) on the mound against Fort Wayne southpaw Osvaldo Hernandez (2.20)..

The Lugs return to Cooley Law School Stadium on Friday, June 15th, opening a three-game series against South Bend featuring Family Faith Night with LAFCU Fireworks on June 15th, Star Wars Night with LAFCU Fireworks on June 16th, and a Father's Day Delta Dental Kids Day with a special Jersey Giveaway on June 17th. To purchase tickets and live the Lug Life, visit lansinglugnuts.com or call (517) 485-4500.

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