TinCaps escape Oat Milkers, 3-2

LANSING, Mich. – In the final Saturday night home game of 2024, the Lansing Lugnuts (26-33, 58-66) – playing as the Malmö Oat Milkers – put the game-tying run at third base in the bottom of the ninth before falling to the Fort Wayne TinCaps (22-37, 50-75), 3-2, in front of 6,779 at Jackson® Field™.

One home game remains in a 2024 season that has seen the Lugnuts surpass 250,000 in season attendance and 10 million in all-time attendance; nine former Nuts make their Major League debuts; throw the fourth no-hitter in franchise history; and set speed records for fastest seven-inning and nine-inning game.

Ethan Salas and Nerwilian Cedeño supplied RBI singles in the first inning and Tyler Robertson delivered an RBI single in the second inning, helping the TinCaps take a quick 3-0 lead against Luis Morales.

But Fort Wayne, which piled up 19 hits the night before, was quieted from there by Morales through the fourth, Dylan Hall from the fifth through the eighth, and Garrett Irvin in the ninth.

Third baseman Luke Mann did his best to bring the home offense back into the game, doubling in the seventh inning and scoring on a T.J. Schofield-Sam single to trim the deficit to 3-1, and then opening the bottom of the ninth with his seventh homer.

Fort Wayne closer Manuel Castro retired Josh Kuroda-Grauer on a groundout and struck out Schofield-Sam before Bautista, Jr.’s drive to right eluded Nick Vogt for three bases. That brought up Cole Conn, who worked the count full before slicing a fly ball to left. Robertson nearly overran it down the line, going down to one knee to secure the game’s final out.

Sunday, the home finale, is Accessibility Day and a Capital City Market Kids Day, with gates opening at 12 noon for a 1:05 p.m. start. The Lugnuts send right-hander Kade Morris to the mound against Fort Wayne right-hander Tyler Morgan. For tickets and further information, visit milb.com/lansing or call (517) 485-4500.

# # #