Whitecaps blow out Lugnuts late, 12-1

LANSING, Mich. – Ulrich Bojarski capped an eight-run ninth with a grand slam off emergency pitcher Patrick McColl, and the West Michigan Whitecaps (10-17) beat the Lansing Lugnuts (11-16), 12-1, on a Mother’s Day Sunday at Jackson® Field™.

The Lugnuts won four of six games in the series against their biggest rival.

Until the ninth inning, the story of the game had been West Michigan’s pitching, which blanked the Nuts on two hits until Euribiel Ángeles led off the bottom of the eighth with his first home run.

Trailing 4-1 entering the ninth, the Lugnuts brought in closer Angello Infante, but Cooper Johnson was hit by a pitch and Austin Murr and Trei Cruz drew walks to load the bases. Colt Keith bounced a two-run single up the middle and Wenceel Perez followed with a two-run triple to center for an 8-1 lead. Infante walked the next batter, Chris Meyers, and was pulled in favor of first baseman McColl. The 6-foot-6 right-hander hit Ben Malgeri with an eephus to load the bases. That brought up Bojarski, who drilled a McColl eephus below the video board in left, closing out the scoring.

In defeat, Lansing starter Osvaldo Berrios struck out six in five innings, allowing three runs on three hits and three walks. Daniel Martinez pitched a perfect sixth, Joe DeMers allowed a run in the seventh and Trayson Kubo worked a scoreless eighth.

Center fielder Lazaro Armenteros was Lansing’s most successful hitter, going 1-for-1 with a single and three walks.

After a day off Monday, the Lugnuts welcome in the Dayton Dragons at 11:05 a.m. Tuesday for a Grand Slam School Day, opening a six-game series. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit lansinglugnuts.com or call (517) 485-4500.

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