Three's a charm as Lugnuts blank Dragons

LANSING, Mich. - Josh Winckowski combined with three relievers on a three-hitter and the Lansing Lugnuts (9-7) used a three-run first inning to roll past the Dayton Dragons (6-10), 4-0, on Saturday afternoon at Cooley Law School Stadium.

The Lugnuts took two of three in the series and have won five of their last six games.

Winckowski (Win, 1-0) showed off the form that earned him the honor of 2018 Northwest League Pitcher of the Year with Vancouver, limiting the Dragons to a pair of Jay Schuyler singles in six shutout innings, striking out four.

From there, it was off to the bullpen: Marcus Reyes pitched around a leadoff single by Miguel Hernandez in a scoreless seventh, Will McAffer hit two straight batters but finished the eighth unscathed, and Jackson Rees struck out a pair of a perfect ninth.

Dayton starter Jacob Heatherly (Loss, 1-2) had a much different experience, allowing singles to Reggie Pruitt and Jordan Groshans sandwiched around a walk to Alejandro Kirk before leaving the game due to precautionary reasons. All three runners scored against reliever Jerry D'Andrea, thanks to an Otto Lopez sacrifice fly, a Hagen Danner RBI hit-by-pitch and a Johnny Aiello RBI single.

Lopez added an RBI double in the fifth against reliever Eduardo Salazar, knocking home Groshans, to close out the scoring.

Groshans finished 2-for-4, raising his batting average to .375, while Aiello reached base in all four plate appearances with two singles and two walks.

After a league-wide day off on Easter Sunday, the Lugnuts resume their six-game, seven-day homestand with the first of a three-game series against the South Bend Cubs at 6:05 p.m. Monday - a Dollar Monday with $1 Miller High Life, $1 fountain drinks, $1 popcorn, $1 hot dogs and $1 ice cream sandwiches! Lansing right-hander Joey Murray (4.50 ERA) starts against Cubs phenom lefty Brailyn Marquez (2.35).

To purchase tickets and live the Lug Life at Cooley Law School Stadium, visit lansinglugnuts.com or call (517) 485-4500.
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