Lugnuts split with Whitecaps

LANSING, Michigan – The Lansing Lugnuts (55-61) lost one and won one tonight against the West Michigan Whitecaps (57-59) to open up the final week of the regular season. It was the Lugnuts' fourth straight series that opened with a Wednesday doubleheader after a weather postponement on Tuesday.

One game was dominated by the Whitecaps and the other by the Lugnuts.

In game one, Reid Birlingmair got two quick outs in the first inning, but then committed a throwing error to first on a ground ball from Jake Holton. Instead of a quick half inning, the Whitecaps then got a walk from Gage Workman followed by a three-run homerun from Parker Meadows to jump out 3-0. That would be all West Michigan would need.

Lansing would fight back with an RBI single from William Simoneit in the third inning that scored Lawrence Butler. Those two would link up again for a Simoneit sac fly in the sixth that brought in Butler again for the Lugnuts only two runs.

West Michigan tallied two more runs in both the fifth and sixth inning to pad their lead. Rey Rivera *had a solo shot and then in the next inning they collected singles from *Gage Workman *and *Colt Keith.

Burlingmair finished after five innings, surrendering six runs, three of which were earned with five strikeouts. Charlie Cerny came in for the final two innings and induced two double play balls, giving up no runs with a strikeout. West Michigan took game one, 7-2.

In game two, playing as the Lansing Locos, it was again West Michigan that struck first with a long ball. Two pitches in, Wenceel Perez belted a lead-off home run against the right field foul pole.

The Locos would strike back in a big way though. They sent all nine batters to the plate and knocked out Whitecaps starter RJ Petit, who was making his High-A debut. Shane Selman *doubled, *Lawrence Butler walked and then two wild pitches brought in Selman. After a walk to Patrick McColl, Drew Swift delivered a two-out, two-run double. That made it 3-1, then Jonny Butler beat out an infield single, scoring Swift.

After giving up the home run, Locos starter Osvaldo Berrios settled in. He allowed just one more run through three total innings and had two strikeouts. Brock Whittlesey (W, 5-2)and *Charles Hall (S, 11) *then each combined to come in and work the next two innings each to shut down West Michigan. Whittlesey struck out three and Hall allowed just two base hits and struck out two.

Lansing tallied a run in the fourth after a lead-off double from Yerdel Vargas, he scored a couple batters later on a Jared McDonald double-play groundout. In the seventh inning, Lazaro Armenteros pinch hit for Shane Selman and delivered an RBI single scoring Jonny Butler *who walked earlier. Hall closed out the bottom of the seventh and the Locos prevailed 6-2. *Yerdel Vargas went 3-3 and was a home run short of the cycle after singling, doubling and tripling all on the first pitches he saw in each at-bat.

The Nuts continue their final homestand with their third game against West Michigan tomorrow night at 7:05 for the last Thirsty Thursday of the year. To purchase tickets or for more information, visit lansinglugnuts.com or call (517) 485-4500.

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