Lugnuts' winning streak ends at nine

LANSING, Mich. - The Bowling Green Hot Rods (25-15) rallied back from a two-run deficit with six late runs, ending the Lansing Lugnuts' (27-14) winning streak at nine games with a 6-3 victory on Friday night at Cooley Law School Stadium.

The Lugnuts finished one win short of matching the longest winning streak in franchise history, set from April 12 through April 21, 2007.

A Ryan Noda RBI single in the second inning and an Andres Sotillo sacrifice fly in the fourth inning gave the Nuts a 2-0 lead against Bowling Green starter Josh Fleming.

But the Hot Rods struck back against Lansing left-hander Zach Logue , scoring their first run in the sixth inning on a fielding error by center fielder Chavez Young and drawing even at 2-2 on a Carl Chester home run leading off the seventh.

In a pivotal eighth inning, eight Hot Rods batted against Lugnuts reliever Matt Shannon (Loss, 2-1). A Shannon wild pitch brought in Vidal Brujan to give Bowling Green its first lead. Devin Davis followed with a two-run single, and then a fielding error by second baseman Samad Taylor brought in Chester to finish the four-run rally, putting the Hot Rods up 6-2.

Taylor rebounded in the home half of the eighth with an RBI double, driving in Brock Lundquist , but the Lugnuts came no closer.

Bowling Green reliever Hunter Schryver (Win, 1-2) tossed the final three innings, allowing only one hit - Taylor's double.

Lansing starter Logue fired a career high seven innings, striking out seven, in a no-decision.

The Nuts' 5-6-7 batters, Lundquist, Taylor and Noda, each collected two hits in defeat, as did leadoff hitter Kevin Vicuña.

The Lugnuts' lead atop the Midwest League's Eastern Division was trimmed to 1.5 games over the Hot Rods.

The Nuts and Hot Rods play the second game in their three-game series at 7:05 p.m. on Saturday night, with right-hander Maverik Buffo (5.22 ERA) dueling with Bowling Green right-hander Riley O'Brien (1.93).

Saturday is also Game of Thrones Night at Cooley Law School Stadium, with special White Walker themed jerseys for the Lugnuts, a Noah Syndergaard Game of Thrones bobblehead giveaway to the first 1,000 fans and postgame LAFCU Fireworks! To purchase tickets, visit lansinglugnuts.com or call (517) 485-4500.

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