’Caps overcome Magdic, Lugs

LANSING, Mich. – Ryan Magdic struck out eight in 5 ⅔ innings, but the West Michigan Whitecaps (16-33) stifled the Lansing Lugnuts (21-28), 4-2, at JacksonⓇ Field™ on Friday night.

The Nuts and Whitecaps have split the first four games of the six-game series.

Magdic notched three strikeouts in the second inning, two in the third, two in the fourth (in addition to making a behind-the-back grab on a comebacker) and one in the fifth.

"Magic" Ryan Magdic has cruised through four innings on 44 pitches, striking out seven... and fielding a bouncer behind his back. 🎩🪄 pic.twitter.com/2u41ljcrbm

— Lansing Lugnuts (@LansingLugnuts) May 29, 2026

In total, he dished out 63 pitches, 50 strikes, while walking none and allowing only four hits: a Caleb Shpur double and Woody Hadeen RBI single in the second inning, and consecutive two-out doubles from Ricardo Hurtado and Garrett Pennington in the sixth.

A Clayton Campbell two-run single off of Riley Huge increased the West Michigan lead to 4-1 in the eighth inning.

Those insurance runs took on greater significance in the bottom of the ninth. Devin Taylor drew a one-out walk from reliever Zack Lee, and Dylan Fien ripped a two-out single to move Taylor to second. A C.J. Pittaro RBI single to left brought the Lugnuts within 4-2 and put the tying runs on base for Pedro Pineda. But after Pineda worked the count to 3-and-2, Lee induced him to pop out to short to end the game.

The Lugnuts’ only other run of the game came in the fourth inning. Leadoff hitter Ali Camarillo would have been thrown out on a grounder to third, but an errant throw by third baseman Campbell sent Camarillo to second as West Michigan scrambled for the ball. Taylor knocked his teammate home with an RBI single, tying the ballgame at 1-1.

Fien led the offense in the loss, going 2-for-4 at the plate with a pair of singles.

Abel Mercedes pitched 1 ⅓ innings of scoreless relief, allowing one hit with three strikeouts. Huge gave up three hits, two runs and a walk with one strikeout in one inning. Jorge Marcheco finished the game with a scoreless ninth

The Lugnuts will look to bounce back on Saturday night with starter Tzu-Chen Sha facing off against West Michigan’s Rayner Castillo. Brandon Inge will make a special guest appearance at JacksonⓇ Field™ on Yacht Rock Night with LAFCU Fireworks after the game. Gates open at 6 p.m. and first pitch is scheduled for 7:05. For tickets and more information, call (517) 485-4500 or visit www.milb.com/lansing.

# # #