8,004 watch Lugnuts one-hit Dragons

LANSING, MI – A season-high crowd of 8,004 watched Reid Birlingmair combine with two relievers on a one-hit shutout, leading the Lansing Lugnuts (25-28) to a 3-0 win over the first place Dayton Dragons (29-23) on Saturday night at Jackson® Field™.

It was the Lugnuts’ third shutout of the season, coming in the second of three straight LAFCU Fireworks nights, climaxing with a 6:35 p.m. Sunday finale on the 4th of July.

Dayton’s only hit all night was a Quin Cotton double into the left-field corner in the third inning with Francisco Urbaez aboard. Urbaez attempted to score, but Shane Selman hit cutoff man Max Schuemann who threw a strike to catcher Drew Millas to cut down Urbaez.

Beyond that, the 24-year-old Birlingmair was masterful, striking out five while scatter three walks in six strong innings. Brock Whittlesey handled the seventh and eighth, walking two, and Charles Hall pitched a perfect ninth.

That left the onus on the offense, which collected eight hits and nine walks but did not break through until a Millas bases-loaded walk in the sixth inning against reliever Daniel Duarte.

In the seventh, Wiliam Simoneit mashed a solo home run to right off Matt Gill, Jordan Díaz doubled and Elvis Peralta supplied an RBI single, giving the Lugnuts a bit of breathing space.

Not that the pitchers needed it.

Right-hander Colin Peluse (5.15 ERA) starts the Sunday finale on Independence Day against Dayton right-hander JC Keys (2.08 ERA). To purchase tickets, visit lansinglugnuts.com or call (517) 485-4500.

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