Thomas, Milone homer in 5-3 loss
LANSING, Mich. – Colby Thomas and Brennan Milone slugged the Lansing Lugnuts’ (10-14, 41-48) first home runs since the All-Star Break, but the Lugnuts dropped a Sunday series finale, 5-3, to the Great Lakes Loons (14-10, 59-30) at Jackson® Field™. The Lugnuts and Loons split the six-game series, the first
LANSING, Mich. – Colby Thomas and Brennan Milone slugged the Lansing Lugnuts’ (10-14, 41-48) first home runs since the All-Star Break, but the Lugnuts dropped a Sunday series finale, 5-3, to the Great Lakes Loons (14-10, 59-30) at Jackson® Field™.
The Lugnuts and Loons split the six-game series, the first road series all year that the Loons have not won.
Roundtrip tours today for @colby_thomas2 and @MiloneBrennan 💪💪#GoNuts 🔩 pic.twitter.com/SFyUOJDCAc
— Lansing Lugnuts (@LansingLugnuts) July 23, 2023
A day after his 19-game hitting streak ended, Thomas led off the first inning by cranking a pitch from Justin Wrobleski onto Home Run Hill in left for his first roundtripper as a Lugnut.
The Loons tied the game in the second inning on a Chris Newell homer off Brady Basso and took a 2-1 lead in the fourth inning on a throwing error by reliever Jose Dicochea.
The home half of the fourth inning was a rollercoaster: Junior Pérez led off and reached on a throwing error by pitcher Wrobleski. He then stole second base and took third on a throwing error by catcher Frank Rodriguez. Wrobleski bounced a pitch to Milone away from Rodriguez and Pérez attempted to score. Rodriguez recovered the ball and shoveled it to Wrobleski, who appeared to tag Pérez after the Lugnuts’ runner had already slid across home plate. But umpire Cliburn Rondon called Pérez out and then ejected manager Craig Conklin for arguing the call.
Milone hammered the next pitch over 400 feet to the inflatables in left field, tying the game at 2-2. It was his second Midwest League home run.
A subsequent single, walk and fielding error for the next three hitters loaded the bases, and Carlos Amaya gave the Lugnuts a 3-2 lead with a sacrifice fly to left.
But Great Lakes retook the lead in the sixth on a Dicochea bases-loaded walk and run-scoring wild pitch, adding insurance in the ninth on a Luis Díaz sacrifice fly, and the Lugnuts were unable to rally against five Loons relievers over the final 5 2/3 innings.
Jack Owen tossed two scoreless innings in relief in the losing cause for Lansing.
The Lugnuts now head out on a 12-game, 13-day road trip to Quad Cities and Cedar Rapids, next returning home for a two-week homestand against Fort Wayne and Great Lakes beginning August 8. Tickets are available via lansinglugnuts.com or by calling (517) 485-4500 during office hours.
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