Lugnuts outslug, outlast Whitecaps

LANSING, Mich. - The Lansing Lugnuts (2-0, 38-34) continued their hold on the West Michigan Whitecaps (0-2, 39-30) with a wild 12-7 victory before a Friday night crowd of 8,184 at Cooley Law School Stadium.

The Lugnuts won their fourth straight game against the Whitecaps, though it took a grueling three hours and 26 minutes and required 217 total pitches.

Neither starter made it out of the early going. West Michigan left-hander Eudis Idrogo was knocked out by a four-run Lugnuts second inning; Lansing right-handerJordan Romanodeparted during a game-tying four-run Whitecaps third inning (though all four runs were unearned).

The Lugnuts responded against reliever Jordan Smith (Loss, 4-4) with two runs in the third and home runs from Max Pentecost and Connor Panas in the fourth and fifth innings, building an 8-4 lead.

The Whitecaps cut the score to 8-7 with a three-run sixth-inning against Tom Robson, but that was as close as the visitors would come.

Robson combined with Josh DeGraaf to set down the final 11 'Caps batters, and the Lugnuts put the game away with four-run seventh-inning rally keyed by a Justin Atkinson three-run double.

Atkinson, the ninth-place batter in the Lugnuts' order, went 1-for-2 with five RBIs in the game, adding a pair of sacrifice flies. He was aided by the efforts of sixth- and seventh-place batters Josh Almonte and Panas, each of whom scored three runs. Eighth-place batter Ryan Metzler added his own strong offensive showing, going 2-for-3 with two runs scored, a double, RBI and a walk.

Lugnuts designated hitter Pentecost was 2-for-4 with a walk and two RBIs in addition to his home run, reaching base for the 19th straight game.

Lansing reliever Nate Abel (Win, 1-0) pitched 2 1/3 scoreless innings in immediate relief of starter Romano, earning his first decision of the season.

Saturday is Michigan Baseball Hall of Fame Night, featuring the inductions of the Class of 2016: Kirk Gibson and the 2003-06 Homer High School dynasty, with postgame LAFCU Fireworks. Lefty Tayler Saucedo (2-6, 5.52) starts the 7:05 p.m. game for the Lugnuts against West Michigan right-hander Fernando Perez (2-2, 5.02). To purchase tickets or for more information, stop by the Cooley Law School Stadium box office, call (517-485-4500) or visit LansingLugnuts.com.

 

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