Nankil drives in five, rain halts Nuts' win in sixth

LANSING, Mich. – Nate Nankil scored the Lansing Lugnuts’ first run on a Cole Conn RBI double, and then drove in five runs with his next three swings, leading the Lugnuts (2-2) to a rain-shortened 8-2 six-inning victory over the Great Lakes Loons (2-3) on Wednesday night at Jackson® Field™.

Rain began to fall in the fifth inning, leading to the tarp being called for in the middle of the sixth. The game was declared a final following a 30-minute delay.

Great Lakes took a 1-0 lead in the first inning on a throwing error by catcher Nick Schwartz, only to see Nankil and the Nuts take over.

Conn’s double tied the game at 1-1 in the second; T.J. Schofield-Sam delivered an RBI single and Nankil followed with an RBI groundout for a 3-1 lead in the third; Nankil lined a two-run single for a 5-1 lead in the fourth; and the Lansing cleanup hitter laced a two-run double to cap a three-run rally in the fifth.

The Nuts’ top five hitters in their order – Rodney Green, Jr., Tommy White,Schofield-Sam, Nankil and Conn – each batted in the third, fourth and fifth innings, and Green, White and Schofield-Sam each scored a pair of runs.

Lugnuts starter Yunior Tur struck out six batters while allowing only two hits and one run in four innings. Blaze Pontes earned the win with two innings of relief, allowing one run on two hits and two walks with one strikeout.

The Lugnuts and Loons have split the first two games of the six-game series, bringing up the first Coors Light Thirsty Thursday of the season. Lansing right-hander Kyle Robinson takes on Great Lakes right-hander Patrick Copen at 6:05 p.m., with gates opening at 5 p.m. Tickets are on sale at the Jackson® Field™ box office, available for purchase at (517) 485-4500 or online at milb.com/lansing.

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