Marcheco excels, Nuts win first at West Michigan
COMSTOCK PARK, Mich. – Jorge Marcheco allowed one run in 5 2/3 innings and the Lansing Lugnuts (19-23, 48-58) used a three-double, four-run seventh inning to beat the West Michigan Whitecaps (24-19, 48-59), 5-2, on Tuesday night at LMCU Ballpark. It was the Lugnuts’ first win in six games at
COMSTOCK PARK, Mich. – Jorge Marcheco allowed one run in 5 2/3 innings and the Lansing Lugnuts (19-23, 48-58) used a three-double, four-run seventh inning to beat the West Michigan Whitecaps (24-19, 48-59), 5-2, on Tuesday night at LMCU Ballpark.
It was the Lugnuts’ first win in six games at West Michigan. The Nuts had been swept in a five-game series in June, but wasted no time in taking the series opener. Literally: the game lasted only two hours and 15 minutes.
Marcheco, coming off a five-inning, one-run gem on August 5 against Great Lakes, blanked the Whitecaps for the first five innings, allowed a home run to Samuel Gil to open the sixth, then retired Nolan McCarthy on a groundout and Edian Espinal on a strikeout before exiting with the game tied at 1-1. In all, the native of Bayama, Cuba, fanned four batters while allowing only three hits and one walk on 73 pitches.
About five minutes later, the Lugnuts’ offense went about winning the game. With one out in the seventh inning, Rodney Green, Jr. doubled to left off of reliever Ethan Sloan. Pedro Pineda followed with a double to left-center, bringing in Green for a 2-1 lead. Jared Sprague-Lott singled home Pineda, Breyson Guedez singled Sprague-Lott to second, and – after an Ali Camarillo flyout – Jake Reinisch doubled in both Sprague-Lott and Guedez for a 5-1 lead.
The Whitecaps could only scratch one run closer, a two-out RBI single from Jackson Strong in the bottom of the seventh off Griffin Kirn. Even then, Clayton Campbell was tagged out in a rundown between second and third, halting the rally where it stood.
Mitch Myers faced the minimum in a scoreless eighth inning and Luis Carrasco fired a perfect ninth, striking out Beau Ankeney looking to notch his fifth save.
In the win, 18-year-old left fielder Guedez went 3-for-5 with two runs scored to lead an 11-hit attack.
The second game of the series features an all-southpaw matchup: Lansing’s Tucker Novotny faces off with West Michigan’s Ben Jacobs at 6:35 p.m. Wednesday.
The Lugnuts next return home from August 18-23, hosting the Peoria Chiefs. For tickets and more information, call (517) 485-4500 or visit www.milb.com/lansing.
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