Mariscal's Double The Difference As LumberKings Blank Lugnuts
Lansing, MI - Offense was at a premium on Wednesday night at Cooley Law School Stadium, but the LumberKings made the difference early. With the bases loaded and two outs in the first, Chris Mariscal cleared the bases with a double to give Clinton an early 3-0 lead. That would remain the score as four LumberKings pitchers combined to shutout the Lansing Lugnuts (51-45, 15-11) by that score. The LumberKings (59-37, 20-6) have now notched 14 shutouts on the season, and are now one win away from reaching 4,000 Midwest League victories.
The LumberKings took advantage of Angel Perdomo's (3-4) inconsistent command in the first, as Luis Liberato started the game with a hot shot single to center field. Rayder Ascanio hit a potential double play ball to second, but Liberato got to second base quickly and the Lugnuts could only get Ascanio. Conner Hale then roped a single to right, moving Liberato to third. Logan Taylor then struck out, but Perdomo then plunked Dalton Kelly to load the bases with two outs. Chris Mariscal stepped in, and drilled an outside fastball all the way to the 407 sign in right center field. All three runners scored, as Mariscal's 15th double of the year made it 3-0 LumberKings in the top of the first.
Lansing almost struck right back in the bottom of the first as Andrew Gulloite doubled down the third base line. LumberKings starter Nick Neidert (7-2) then struck out John La Prise, but then Max Pentacost singled, moving Gulloite to third. Juan Kelly then scorched a ground ball to first, and Dalton Kelly turned it into a 3-6 double play to end the inning.
Neidert allowed a leadoff single to Connor Panas to start the second, but Justin Atkinson grounded into a 6-4-3 double play to end the threat. While Clinton's offense stayed silent against Perdomo after the first, the Lugnuts had another good chance to get on the board in the fifth. Ryan Hissey started the inning with a double, but Neidert would get the next two on a pop out and a strike out. Andrew Gulloite then singled to right, but Gus Craig fired a dart home from right to nab Hissey at the plate and end the inning.
Lukas Schiraldi and Rohn Pierce combined to go scoreless in the sixth, seventh, and eighth, and Matt Walker entered for the ninth. Walker gave up a leadoff single to John La Prise, but after getting Max Pentacost to fly out to center, Juan Kelly drove one deep to right center. Luis Liberato crossed behind Gus Craig to make an amazing catch, and then doubled La Prise off first to end the game and give Walker his fifth save.
The LumberKings go for their 4,000th franchise win tomorrow as the send Ronald Dominguez (1-1, 2.08) to the hill against Lansing's Ryan Borucki (6-3, 2.69). First pitch is a 6:05 central time, with the Iowa Pork Producers Pregame Show hitting the airwaves of WCCI 100.3 FM at 5:50. You can also listen to the game online at www.lumberkings.com.