Franco slam launches Nuts to 4th straight win
LANSING, Mich. – Carlos Franco crushed a go-ahead grand slam in the bottom of the eighth inning, vaulting the Lansing Lugnuts (28-32) to an electrifying 7-4 victory over the Cedar Rapids Kernels (28-31) on Thursday night at JacksonⓇ Field™. The Lugnuts have taken the first three games of the series
LANSING, Mich. – Carlos Franco crushed a go-ahead grand slam in the bottom of the eighth inning, vaulting the Lansing Lugnuts (28-32) to an electrifying 7-4 victory over the Cedar Rapids Kernels (28-31) on Thursday night at JacksonⓇ Field™.
The Lugnuts have taken the first three games of the series against the Kernels, increasing their overall winning streak to four.
CARLOS FRANCO SLAMS THE NUTS INTO THE LEAD pic.twitter.com/qsu0rq8NGV
— Lansing Lugnuts (@LansingLugnuts) June 12, 2026
Cedar Rapids had taken a 4-3 lead in the top of the eighth inning on a Khadim Diaw two-out RBI infield single off Blaze Pontes, a 43-mph roller to the right of the mound.
But Kernels reliever Xavier Kolhosser opened the bottom of the eighth inning by issuing a walk to Myles Naylor and allowing identical singles to left field from C.J. Pittaro and Nate Nankil. Franco followed with a 420-foot obliteration to left, soaring just below the videoboard, for his third home run of the season.
In the ninth inning, Yasser Mercedes attempted to stretch a leadoff double into a triple but was thrown out by relayman Gunner Gouldsmith. Pontes set down the next two batters to secure the win in his 2026 High-A debut.
The Nuts had taken an early lead on an Ali Camarillo RBI double in the first inning off top Twins prospect Riley Quick.
Cedar Rapids rallied back with solo tallies in the second, fourth and fifth innings against Lansing starter Zane Taylor, only to see a Gouldsmith home run and a Jared Sprague-Lott RBI single in the bottom of the fifth tie the score at 3-3.
It was Gouldsmith’s second straight game with a home run and his third of the year.
Taylor finished his outing having allowed three runs on six hits with one walk and six strikeouts. Griffin Kirn came in for relief, pitching two hitless innings with three strikeouts before yielding to Pontes for the final two frames.
Ryan Magdic starts the fourth game of the series, opposed by Cedar Rapids lefty Cesar Lares at 7:05 p.m. Friday on Peanuts Night, with a Snoopy Bobblehead Giveaway and postgame LAFCU Fireworks. For tickets and more information, call (517) 485-4500 or visit www.milb.com/lansing.
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