Lugnuts rally past Loons in 10, 3-2

MIDLAND, Mich. – Trailing 2-0 entering the eighth inning, the Lansing Lugnuts (45-49) rallied to force extra innings before beating the Great Lakes Loons (49-45) in the tenth on an Austin Beck RBI single, 3-2, on Friday night at Dow Diamond.

The Loons had scored 16 runs on 17 hits the previous night, but were held to one big swing – a Ryan January two-run homer in the fifth inning – while the Lugnuts came up with all of the big swings late.

Facing left-hander Braidyn Fink in the eighth, Drew Swift led off with a double to right-center and moved to third on a wild pitch as Fink struck out both Jonny Butler and Austin Beck. William Simoneit drew a walk, and then Fink uncorked a second wild pitch, bringing in Swift with Lansing’s first run. On the play, catcher January tossed the baseball back past the unsuspecting Fink, an error that allowed Simoneit to advance to third base. Jordan Díaz took advantage with a game-tying RBI single to left, tying the score at 2-2.

Swift figured in once more in the tenth, placed at second base to open the inning and advancing to third base on a Butler groundout against Great Lakes reliever Andrew Shaps. Beck followed with a high bouncer over the head of drawn-in shortstop Leonel Valera into left field, bringing home Swift with the decisive run.

Swift, the Athletics’ eighth-round selection in the 2021 draft from Arizona State, has scored nine runs in his first eight games with High-A Lansing.

But the Lugnuts’ lead wasn’t safe until the final pitch.

Charles Hall retired Eddys Leonard on a flyout to open the bottom of the tenth, but walked Andy Pages to put runners at first and second, representing the tying and winning runs. Hall bore down and struck out both Brandon Lewis and Jonny DeLuca, ending the game and notching his eighth save.

The performance capped a strong pitching night for Lansing. 22-year-old starter Osvaldo Berrios threw six innings in his High-A debut, striking out five while allowing only five hits and two walks, and Brandon Withers pitched a season-high three scoreless innings, striking out four – including three straight strikeouts on nine pitches following a leadoff single by Pages in the eighth.

The Lugnuts and Loons have split the first four games of the six-game series, setting up the final two 2021 meetings between the clubs over the weekend. On Saturday at 7:05 p.m., Lansing right-hander Kyle Virbitsky (6.75 ERA) makes his first professional start, taking on Great Lakes right-hander Logan Boyer (4.97 ERA). For more information, visit lansinglugnuts.com or call (517) 485-4500.

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