Rally 'Caps

Fort Wayne scores five in 8th, tops Lugnuts, 5-4

Lugnuts first baseman Mitch Nay launched his fourth home run of the year, a two-run shot, in the losing cause. (Wendy Smith )

By Jesse Goldberg-Strassler

July 9, 2017

FORT WAYNE, Ind. - The Lansing Lugnuts (6-12, 43-41) brought a 4-0 lead to the bottom of the eighth inning - and gave up five runs, four with two outs, in a 5-4 loss to the Fort Wayne TinCaps (11-7, 37-51) on Sunday afternoon at Parkview Field.Mitch Nay slugged a two-run homer

FORT WAYNE, Ind. - The Lansing Lugnuts (6-12, 43-41) brought a 4-0 lead to the bottom of the eighth inning - and gave up five runs, four with two outs, in a 5-4 loss to the Fort Wayne TinCaps (11-7, 37-51) on Sunday afternoon at Parkview Field.

Mitch Nay slugged a two-run homer and Mattingly Romanin and Joshua Palacios supplied sacrifice flies for the Lugnuts, who held the TinCaps hitless until two outs in the sixth, and scoreless through seven innings - until the game took a turn.

With one out in the eighth, a Rod Boykin RBI double off Jared Carkuff put the 'Caps on the scoreboard and catalyzed the comeback. With two outs, Fernando Tatis, Jr. doubled in Boykin, making it 4-2. Reinaldo Ilarraza singled in Tatis, drawing Fort Wayne within one run and ending Carkuff's outing. Nick Hartman (Loss, 1-1) entered, gave up a single to Jorge Oña, and tossed a wild pitch, scoring Ilarraza with the game-tying run. G.K. Young followed with an RBI single to center, plating pinch-runner Nate Easley with the go-ahead run.

In the top of the ninth inning, Javier Hernandez singled to left and Luis De Los Santos dropped down a sacrifice bunt, but Diomar Lopez(Save, 2) dispatched both Andres Sotillo and Rodrigo Orozco to end the game.

Fort Wayne starter Mason Thompson worked three innings, allowing one run, striking out two, and setting down the final eight batters he faced. He was relieved by Ronald Bolaños(Win, 3-1), who handled the next five innings, allowing three runs.

Lugnuts starter Osman Gutierrez made his four-inning stint memorable, walking six batters and striking out six batters while denying the Tincaps a hit or a run.

Right-hander Andy Ravel (5-3, 7.35) starts the 12:05 p.m. Monday series finale, opposing TinCaps right-hander Michel Baez (1-0, 0.00).

The Nuts return to Cooley Law School Stadium on Wednesday, July 12th, opening a six-game homestand with a Winning Wednesday against the Beloit Snappers. Tickets may be purchased at the Cooley Law School Stadium box office, by calling (517) 485-4500 or via lansinglugnuts.com.
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