Naylor's heroics help Nuts snap losing streak

LANSING, Mich. – Myles Naylor hit a grand slam in the sixth to tie the game and an RBI fielder’s choice in the bottom of the 10th to boost the Lansing Lugnuts (1-8, 29-43) to an 8-7 walk-off win against the Great Lakes Loons (6-2, 42-29) at JacksonⓇ Field™ on Sunday afternoon.

The win marks the Lugnuts’ first since June 12 and snaps a franchise-record 11-game losing streak.

“Total team win, bullpen, starter, hitters, backs against the wall numerous times,” said shortstop Gunner Gouldsmith. “That's a big one for morale, and the clubhouse felt good.”

“We all needed this win today just to have a better off day and feel better about ourselves,” manager Javier Godard said.

In the booth for Myles Naylor’s walk-off winner! #GoNuts pic.twitter.com/B6vIaw53ML

— Lansing Lugnuts (@LansingLugnuts) June 28, 2026

Down four runs in the bottom of the sixth, Loons reliever Matt Lanzendorfer issued walks to Jared Sprague-Lott, C.J. Pittaro and Rodney Green Jr., prompting a pitching change and bringing Naylor to the plate.

On the third pitch of his at-bat, Naylor hit a grand slam off of reliever Davis Chastain over the left-field wall to tie the game.

Myles Naylor launches a grand slam, and we're tied! pic.twitter.com/hOvdhewTUI

— Lansing Lugnuts (@LansingLugnuts) June 28, 2026

But Emil Morales responded with his own home run in the top of the seventh, a 462-foot solo bomb to retake a 5-4 lead.

Three batters later, Lansing had a chance to end the frame, but Eduardo Guerrero beat a would-be double play to first. On the following at-bat, Samuel Muñoz hit a two-run home run into center field to give the Loons a 7-4 advantage.

In the bottom of the eighth, reliever Jacob Frost allowed a three-run homer to Gouldsmith to tie the game up at seven.

“I’ve faced that guy a couple times,” Gouldsmith said. “He's gotten me on the curveballs, and then I've been late on the fastballs. So I told myself the entire at-bat I was just gonna see a fastball and see it in my zone and then take my A swing.”

GUNNER TIES THE GAME! pic.twitter.com/QJLzShWmRB

— Lansing Lugnuts (@LansingLugnuts) June 28, 2026

Lansing reliever Blaze Pontes took over for Tucker Novotny in the ninth and retired the side, but the Lugnuts couldn't score, forcing extras. After Pontes kept the Loons scoreless in the top of the 10th, a Green groundout off reliever Dilan Figueredo advanced placed runner Pedro Pineda to third, and a fielder’s choice to short from Naylor plated Pineda to snap the losing streak.

“I reflected on all the times I've been in that scenario, and I think I sometimes will get too passive 'cause I'm like, ‘He won't give me a pitch to hit here,’” Naylor said. “But then I changed the approach, and I was like, ‘I'm gonna be aggressive. First pitch that I see in the zone, I'm gonna give a good swing at it and hit it hard.’ … Just trusting myself and trusting what I could do with the bat, in the end of the day, just led me to a lot of success today.”

Naylor finished 1-for-4 at the plate with five RBIs and two runs scored and a walk. Gouldsmith ended his afternoon 1-for-4 at the plate with three RBIs and one run scored.

On the mound, starter Nathan Dettmer pitched 4 ⅔ innings, allowing four runs and six hits with no walks and six strikeouts.

“I was honestly really happy with it (his performance),” Dettmer said. “A good response from Tuesday. Threw a whole bunch of strikes. I was really, really happy with that. I made them earn it. … Really, really happy to stay on the attack and give us a chance.”

Jorge Marcheco pitched 1 ⅓ scoreless innings before Jose Dicochea came in for an inning and allowed three runs and three hits. Novotny and Pontes combined for the final three scoreless innings.

“Just kind of went out there and took one batter at a time,” Pontes said. “Didn't try to do too much. Work on my strengths; get the ball down, try and get an easy ground ball or weak contact.”

“He (Pontes) was gonna go only for one inning, and I talked to him like, ‘Hey, man, I need you for one more. Can you give me one more?’” Godard said. “And he's like, ‘Absolutely. That's what I'm here for.’ And I appreciate him for that because even though he came back from Midland (Double-A), he's doing his job here.”

The Lugnuts will head on the road for the next two weeks, first playing the Dayton Dragons from June 30- July 5 before playing the Lake County Captains from July 7-12.

Lansing will return to JacksonⓇ Field™ for a three-game series against the Fort Wayne Tin Caps from July 17-19. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05. For tickets and more information, call (517) 485-4500 or visit www.milb.com/lansing.

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