Young swats first slam as Lugnuts upend Bees, 11-8

BURLINGTON, IA - Chavez Young belted his first professional career grand slam and Ryan Noda enjoyed a second straight monster game, driving the Lansing Lugnuts (13-8, 56-35) to a 11-8 slugfest victory over the sloppy Burlington Bees (4-16, 34-55) on Thursday night at Community Field.

The Bees grabbed the early advantage with four runs in the third inning off debuting Lugnuts starter Jordan Barrett and added two runs in the fourth against Yunior Hinojosa for a 6-2 lead.

The Lugnuts struck back in the fifth inning thanks to one mighty swing. Owen Spiwak singled to right against Bees starter Oliver Ortega, Reggie Pruitt drew a walk and Kevin Vicuña drew a one-out walk from reliever Ed Del Rosario to load the bases for Young. The Lugs' right fielder worked the count to 2-and-2 before launching a Del Rosario offering high over the wall in right, tying the score at 6-6.

In the seventh, the Nuts seized the lead for good with four unearned runs against reliever James Ziemba (Loss, 1-2). With two outs and Vicuña at third, shortstop Julio Garcia misplayed a Noda chopper to allow the tie-breaking run to score. A walk, a Norberto Obeso RBI single, a Freddy Rodriguez RBI single and a double steal leading to Obeso swiping home followed in short order, putting the Lugnuts in front, 10-6.

A fielding error by first baseman Franklin Torres in the ninth, the Bees' third error of the game, brought in Noda with the Lugnuts' 11th run.

Noda finished the game with two doubles, two walks and three runs scored in five plate appearances. In two games, he is 5-for-7 with two walks, four doubles, one triple and five runs batted in.

Lugnuts starter Barrett allowed four runs on five hits and three walks in three innings in a no-decision, striking out one and allowing a solo home run to Jeyson Sanchez.

After Hinojosa tossed two innings, allowing two runs (one earned), Vancouver native Brayden Bouchey (Win, 1-0) pitched the sixth, seventh and eighth innings, giving up a solo home run to Franklin Torres and striking out five.

Dany Jimenez handled the ninth, allowing a solo home run to Torii Hunter Jr..

In a no-decision, Burlington starter Ortega tossed six wild pitches (one short of the Midwest League's single-game record) and struck out nine batters in 4 1/3 innings.

The Nuts go for the three-game road sweep on Friday night at 7:30 p.m. (6:30 p.m. local time), sending right-hander Maximo Castillo (5.31 ERA) against Burlington right-hander Zack Kelly (4.50 ERA).

The Lugnuts next return to Cooley Law School Stadium on a Winning Wednesday, July 18th, opening a six-game homestand with the Peoria Chiefs and the Cedar Rapids Kernels. To purchase tickets, visit lansinglugnuts.com or call (517) 485-4500.
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