Walk-off sac fly helps Lugs sweep Loons

LANSING, Mich. - Ryan McBroom's ninth-inning sacrifice fly capped a two-run game-winning rally, and the Lansing Lugnuts rose from the canvas to complete a two-game first-round sweep of the Great Lakes Loons, 5-4, on Thursday night at Cooley Law School Stadium.

With the win, their very first walk-off victory of the 2015 season, the Lugs advanced to the Eastern Division Finals against the West Michigan Whitecaps.

A Gunnar Heidt sacrifice fly gave Lansing a 3-2 lead in the seventh inning, breaking a tie that had lasted since the third inning.

Reliever Colton Turner carried that lead to the ninth, putting the Loons on the brink of elimination by retiring pinch-hitter Nick Dean and Nick Sell to start the frame. Great Lakes pinch-hitter Federico Celli kept hope alive with a single to left, and Michael Ahmed worked a walk on a full-count pitch from Turner.

Dusty Isaacs entered from the bullpen, looking to lock down the series win, but Jordan Tarsovich bounced a game-tying seeing-eye single up the middle. Ahmed daringly raced for third base, drawing a wild throw from center fielder D.J. Davis. That brought in Ahmed, and the Loons stunningly led 4-3. Isaacs (Win, 1-0) escaped further damage, striking out Matt Beaty to strand Tarsovich at second.

Now three outs themselves away from a victory, Great Lakes turned to right-hander Tommy Bergjans (Loss, 0-1) for the bottom of the ninth. Danny Jansen grounded out to third base before Heidt lasered a double off the left field wall. Chris Carlson, 1-for-9 in the series entering the at-bat, followed with an RBI double to right-center to knot the score at 4-4.

Bergjans intentionally walked Richard Urena and then unintentionally walked Jason Leblebijian, loading the bases for the 2015 Midwest League Most Valuable Player.

On the seventh pitch of the at-bat, the league leader in sacrifice flies delivered his biggest fly of the season. He launched a Bergjans breaking ball to deep left, where Brian Wolfe made a running catch but was unable to relay back in as Carlson streaked plateward with the series-clinching run.

The Loons had scored two runs in the first inning against Lugnuts starter Justin Shafer, grabbing the early lead, but that was all that Shafer allowed in six innings.

Great Lakes starter Andrew Sopko lasted five innings, allowing a McBroom double and a D.J. Davis RBI single in the second inning, and then an Urena double and a Leblebijian game-tying RBI single in the third.

Davis finished the game 3-for-4, while Justin Atkinson and Leblebijian each went 2-for-4 and Urena reached base three times on a double and two walks.

The Lansing Lugnuts and West Michigan Whitecap commence the best-of-three Eastern Division Finals at 4:05 p.m. Saturday at Fifth Third Ballpark, with right-hander Tom Robson starting for Lansing.

The series shifts back to Cooley Law School Stadium for Game 2 at 7:05 p.m. Sunday, as well as a potential Game 3 on Monday. To purchase tickets, call (517) 485-4500 or visit lansinglugnuts.com.

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