Nuts deep-six Dragons, 8-3

DAYTON, OH - On the sixth day of their road trip, the Lansing Lugnuts (18-19, 61-46) plated six runs in the sixth inning to support six scoreless innings from Maximo Castillo , dispatching the Dayton Dragons (18-19, 49-56), 8-3, on Monday night at Fifth Third Field.

The Lugnuts have won four of their last five games and five of the last seven.

Held to one hit through the first five innings by right-hander Patrick McGuff (Loss, 1-2), the Lugs broke through with a torrent of offense. With one out, Reggie Pruitt and Samad Taylor drew walks. Chavez Young grounded an RBI single to right field for a 1-0 lead, knocking out McGuff. Ryan Noda greeted the incoming Dauri Moreta with a two-run single to make it 3-0, Brandon Grudzielanek supplied a second single, and Chad Spanberger drove in both Noda and Grudzielanek with a triple down the right-field line. Norberto Obeso cashed in Spanberger with a sacrifice fly, capping the rally with the Lugnuts ahead 6-0.

Castillo (Win, 8-5) followed up six shutout innings in his last start at South Bend with an encore performance, striking out four while scattering seven hits and two walks.

Dayton plated its first run in the seventh against Andrew Deramo on an RBI single by Alejo Lopez, knocking in J.D. Williams. Jose Garcia attempted to score on the same play and was thrown out at the plate by shortstop Jesus Navarro .

The Nuts tacked on insurance in the eighth and ninth innings on a Spanberger sacrifice fly and an Owen Spiwak RBI double, with Dayton adding an inconsequential two-run Raul Wallace triple in the eighth.

The Lugnuts' offense was led by Young, who went 2-for-4 with a walk and two runs scored; Spanberger, who drove in three runs; and Taylor, who went 1-for-3 with two walks and two steals.

2018 No. 5 pick Jonathan India went 1-for-4 with a walk and a strikeout in his Dayton Dragons debut.

Right-hander Graham Spraker (2.63 ERA) gets the ball for the road-trip finale, with the Dragons countering with 2017 No. 2 pick Hunter Greene (4.48) at 7:00 p.m. Tuesday. A Lugnuts victory would give the visitors three wins in the four-game series and clinch a 5-2 road trip.

The Nuts return home to Cooley Law School Stadium from August 1st-3rd, welcoming in these same South Bend Cubs for a brief homestand: Wednesday, August 1st, is a Winning Wednesday; Thursday, August 2nd, is a Labatt Thirsty Thursday - Young Professionals Night; and Friday, August 3rd, is a Family Faith Night with postgame LAFCU Fireworks. To purchase tickets and live the Lug Life, visit lansinglugnuts.com or call (517) 485-4500.
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