Taylor helps Lugnuts split with Hot Rods

(Miguel Arcaute)

By Jesse Goldberg-Strassler

August 14, 2018

LANSING, Mich. - Samad Taylor doubled and homered, and the Lansing Lugnuts (29-22, 72-49) used a five-run fifth inning to clinch a series split with the Bowling Green Hot Rods (30-21, 77-43) with a 7-4 victory on Tuesday night at Cooley Law School Stadium.The Lugnuts and Hot Rods, possessing the top

LANSING, Mich. - Samad Taylor doubled and homered, and the Lansing Lugnuts (29-22, 72-49) used a five-run fifth inning to clinch a series split with the Bowling Green Hot Rods (30-21, 77-43) with a 7-4 victory on Tuesday night at Cooley Law School Stadium.

The Lugnuts and Hot Rods, possessing the top two records in the Midwest League and set to meet up in the first round of the playoffs, have evenly split their 10 meetings this season.

Taylor had gone 0-for-4 in each of the first two games of the series, ending a 20-game on-base streak. After resting during the third game, he responded dynamically in the finale, smoking an opposite-field double in the first inning and then launching a two-run homer in the third off Bowling Green starter Tommy Romero (Loss, 9-4) for a 2-1 Nuts lead.

After the Hot Rods scored two runs in the fifth inning to move back in front, 3-2, the Lugnuts seized control of the game in the bottom of the fifth.

With the bases loaded and one out, Norberto Obeso tied the game with an RBI groundout and Chavez Young untied it with an RBI infield single. After a walk to Ryan Noda reloaded the bases, Simon Rosenblum-Larson relieved Romero. Brandon Grudzielanek greeted Rosenblum-Larson with a two-run single, and Vinny Capra tacked on an RBI single for a 7-3 Lugnuts lead.

Moises Gomez brought the Hot Rods within three runs with a solo homer in the seventh off Brody Rodning (Win, 4-3), though that was the only run allowed by Rodning in 2 1/3 innings of relief.

Emerson Jimenez locked down the eighth and ninth innings scorelessly and hitlessly, striking out two, for his first save.

Lansing starter Jordan Barrett tossed 4 2/3 innings, allowing three runs on five hits and four walks while striking out four in a no-decision.

Next up, the Lugnuts head on the road for a three-game commuter series at West Michigan. The next home game is Backyard Baseball Night powered by MI Student Aid on Saturday, August 18th, with the first 1,000 fans receiving a bobblehead of the GOAT, Pablo Sanchez, as the Lansing Mighty Wombats challenge the Fort Wayne TinCaps! To purchase tickets and live the Lug Life at Cooley Law School Stadium, visit lansinglugnuts.com or call (517) 485-4500.
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