Gold pops 1st HR in 8-5 loss to Kernels

LANSING, Mich. - Ryan Gold 's bat stayed hot but the Lansing Lugnuts (13-17, 56-44) dropped their ninth straight game, 8-5, to the Cedar Rapids Kernels (22-8, 54-45) on Sunday afternoon at Cooley Law School Stadium.

The Lugnuts remained stuck on 1,599 all-time wins as a franchise.

Gold followed up a double and a two-run single in the Saturday opener against the Kernels with a booming double and his first home run of the season, an opposite-field drive beneath the stadium video board. The Lugnuts' first baseman has scored six runs and driven in seven in his last five games.

The Kernels took an early 5-0 lead against Lugs starter Matt Gunter (Loss, 2-4) thanks to two runs in the first and a Jose Miranda three-run homer in the second inning.

In the bottom of the second, Reilly Johnson lined a two-run single and Samad Taylor drilled a two-run triple, knocking out Cedar Rapids starter Jordan Balazovic and paring the deficit to 5-4.

That offensive momentum was halted by reliever Derek Molina (Win, 2-0), who pitched 3 1/3 hitless, scoreless innings of relief for the Kernels, striking out five.

Cedar Rapids added insurance runs in the fourth and fifth innings against left-hander Brody Rodning and in the eighth inning off right-hander Matt Shannon , building its lead to 8-4.

Gold sparked the crowd in the home eighth, taking Calvin Faucher deep to left on the ninth pitch of a protracted at-bat.

In the ninth, the Lugnuts mounted one last charge. Reggie Pruitt and Jesus Navarro opened the frame with singles against Jose Martinez (Save, 4), but the Cedar Rapids right-hander set down the next three batters down in order to end the game.

Gold (2-for-4, two runs, one RBI) and Taylor (2-for-5, 2 RBIs) were the only Lugnuts batters with multi-hit games. The Kernels' 17-hit attack was led by a four-hit game from Michael Davis and three-hit performances from Miranda, Robby Rinn and David Banuelos.

The homestand finale is a special Monday Dog Days of Summer matinee, beginning at 12:05 p.m. Lansing southpaw Jordan Barrett (7.88 ERA) duels against Kernels right-hander Randy Dobnak (3.66). To purchase tickets and live the Lug Life, visit lansinglugnuts.com or call (517) 485-4500.
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