Lopez's hitting streak ends in 7-2 loss

LANSING, Mich. - Otto Lopez 's 19-game hitting streak came to an end as the Dayton Dragons (24-33, 52-75) topped the Lansing Lugnuts (30-27, 62-64), 7-2, on Tuesday afternoon at Cooley Law School Stadium.

The Lugnuts split the four-game series with Dayton, finishing their seven-game homestand with a 4-3 record against the Dragons and Fort Wayne TinCaps.

Dayton starter Lyon Richardson (Win, 3-9) set the tone, limiting the Lugnuts to seven hits and one unearned run in 5 2/3 innings while striking out six.

The Dragons' offense, meanwhile, scored two runs in the second inning and one in the third against Lansing right-hander Troy Watson (Loss, 6-5), added a run in the sixth against Brody Rodning , and then finished up with two runs in the seventh and one in the eighth against Josh Hiatt . Each Dragons hitter collected at least one hit in a balanced attack, with six batters collecting exactly two hits.

Leadoff hitter Lopez, who entered the game with the second-highest batting average and second-most base hits in the Midwest League, typified the Lugnuts' struggles, finishing 0-for-5. Yorman Rodriguez and LJ Talley bolstered the Nuts' offense with two hits apiece, with Talley supplying a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the eighth for Lansing's final run.

The Lugnuts head out on the road on Wednesday, opening a three-game series at South Bend through Friday, before returning home on Saturday - Harry Potter Night with LAFCU Fireworks! - to open a seven-game homestand. To live the Lug Life and purchase tickets, visit lansinglugnuts.com, call (517) 485-4500 or come to the Cooley Law School Stadium box office at 505 E. Michigan Ave. in downtown Lansing.
# # #