Susac supplies the offense, five pitchers blank Loons

LANSING, Mich. – Daniel Susac delivered a sacrifice fly in a fourth inning and an RBI single in the sixth to back a combined four-hit shutout, and the Lansing Lugnuts (8-11, 39-45) opened a six-game homestand with a 2-0 win over the Great Lakes Loons (11-8, 56-28) in front of 5,377 on Tuesday night at Jackson® Field™.

The Lugnuts enjoyed their third shutout win of the season while the Loons were blanked for the fifth time.

Lansing improved to 6-4 vs. the Loons this season, the only Midwest League team with a winning record against Great Lakes.

Lugnuts starter Jose Dicochea was limited to 3 1/3 innings due to an elevated pitch count, walking three batters and hitting a fourth, but struck out three and allowed no hits before handing the ball to the bullpen.

The Nuts’ relief corps was dominant: Mac Lardner fired two innings, striking out three; John Beller tossed 1 1/3 innings with two strikeouts; Brock Whittlesey recorded three outs bridging from the seventh into the eighth innings; and Stevie Emanuels set down the final four batters in order with two strikeouts to record his second save.

The Loons’ only hits: a Kenneth Betancourt single in the fourth, a Luis Diaz single and Chris Newell single in the sixth, and a Damon Keith double in the eighth.

Emanuels, who relieved Whittlesey and stranded Keith in scoring position with a strikeout of Newell, has not allowed a run through seven appearances and 12 1/3 innings, fanning 16 batters while allowing only seven hits and two walks.

The Nuts’ offense was sparse but plenty adequate: In the fourth inning, Joshwan Wright led off with a triple against Loons starter Justin Wrobleski and Susac followed with a fly ball to deep right to score him for a 1-0 lead. And in the sixth inning with runners at first and third, Susac punched a single through the right side of the infield to bring in T.J. Schofield-Sam for a 2-0 lead.

In the process, Susac extended his hitting streak to nine games; he has 17 hits in 33 at-bats during the streak, raising his average to .305.

Wright finished 2-for-4 with a double and a triple in the winning cause.

Loons slugging prospect Dalton Rushing was ejected from the game in the sixth inning by home plate umpire Charles Welling for nonverbally disputing a called strike three. It was the third time Rushing has been ejected this season.

Wednesday is a Dog Days of Summer, with dogs welcome to the ballpark. Gates open at 6 p.m. for a 7:05 p.m. first pitch between Lugnuts right-hander Joelvis Del Rosario and Loons right-hander Kendall Williams. Tickets are available via lansinglugnuts.com or by calling (517) 485-4500 during office hours.

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