Cubs outslug Lugnuts, 10-8

By Jesse Goldberg-Strassler

April 24, 2019

LANSING, Mich. - The South Bend Cubs (10-9) broke a 5-5 tie with a five-run sixth inning and held off the Lansing Lugnuts (10-9), 10-8, on Wednesday afternoon at Cooley Law School Stadium.Jordan Groshans and Alejandro Kirk crushed two-run homers and Reggie Pruitt reached base five times on a single, double and

LANSING, Mich. - The South Bend Cubs (10-9) broke a 5-5 tie with a five-run sixth inning and held off the Lansing Lugnuts (10-9), 10-8, on Wednesday afternoon at Cooley Law School Stadium.

Jordan Groshans and Alejandro Kirk crushed two-run homers and Reggie Pruitt reached base five times on a single, double and three walks for the Nuts, who piled up 11 hits in the game and 42 total hits in the series despite losing two of the three games.

The Lugnuts scored in each of the first four innings, building leads of 1-0, 2-1 and 4-2, only to see the Cubs score five runs on eight hits in 3 2/3 innings against starter Sean Wymer before breaking the game open in the sixth against reliever Marcus Reyes (Loss, 0-1).

Trailing 10-5 late, the Nuts trimmed the deficit to four runs on a D.J. Neal sacrifice fly in the eighth off reliever Ethan Roberts.

In the ninth, Pruitt walked and Kirk homered to pull Lugnuts within two. Groshans followed with an infield single and took second on a throwing error by third baseman Chris Morel, bringing the tying run to the plate. Roberts recovered to dispatch Ryan Gold , Otto Lopez and Nick Podkul to end the game.

Grosse Pointe, Mich., native Ryan Lawlor (Win, 1-1) picked up the victory for South Bend, tossing three scoreless innings in relief of starter Cam Sanders, whose scoreless innings streak to start the year ended at 15 in the first inning.

Lansing shortstop Groshans finished 3-for-5, raising his batting average to .387; Kirk went 2-for-4 with a walk, lifting his average to .350; and Pruitt's 2-for-2 day left him with a .346 average and extended his consecutive on-base streak to 17 games.

Next up for the Lugnuts, a four-game series at Bowling Green Ballpark against the Hot Rods, with right-hander Fitz Stadler (5.40 ERA) taking on Bowling Green right-hander Caleb Sampen (6.75) at 7;35 p.m.

The Nuts return to Cooley Law School Stadium on Tuesday, April 30th, opening a six-game homestand against Wisconsin and Beloit. To purchase tickets and live the Lug Life, visit lansinglugnuts.com or call (517) 485-4500.
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