FORT WAYNE, Ind. - Ryan Noda lined a go-ahead two-run single and Chavez Young made a game-saving catch at the wall, delivering the Lansing Lugnuts (4-2) a 6-5 win over the Fort Wayne TinCaps (0-5) on Tuesday night at Parkview Field.The Lugnuts rallied from 2-0, 4-2 and 5-4 deficits, striking
FORT WAYNE, Ind. - Ryan Noda lined a go-ahead two-run single and Chavez Young made a game-saving catch at the wall, delivering the Lansing Lugnuts (4-2) a 6-5 win over the Fort Wayne TinCaps (0-5) on Tuesday night at Parkview Field.
The Lugnuts rallied from 2-0, 4-2 and 5-4 deficits, striking the decisive blow after Kevin Vicuña reached on an error to lead off the seventh, and Kevin Smith doubled him to third base. That brought up Noda, who came through against reliever Travis Radke (Loss, 0-1) with a line drive into right field, putting the Nuts ahead for good.
Still, the victory wasn't secured until the magnificent 27th out. Lansing closer Ty Tice (Save, 2) struck out the first two TinCaps batters before walking Luis Campusano on a 3-2 pitch. Gabriel Arias followed with a drive to deep right field, where Young made a remarkable catch on the warning track, falling to his left, knocking into the wall and ending on the ground - with the ball still in his glove.
The gem made a winner of Dalton Rodriguez (W, 1-0) who tossed the fifth and sixth innings in his 2018 debut, allowing four hits and one run. He was followed to the mound by the debuting Brayden Bouchey , who was perfect in the seventh and eighth innings, striking out two batters in each frame.
The game began with a matchup of top pitching prospects, featuring Fort Wayne left-hander MacKenzie Gore, the No. 1 southpaw prospect in the minors, against Lansing's top pitching prospect, Maximo Castillo . Gore departed first, fanning four, allowing five hits, a walk and two runs - on a third-inning double by Smith - in three innings. Castillo lasted four innings, striking out four and surrendering five hits, four runs and three walks.
Smith led the Lugnuts offense, going 3-for-5 with two doubles and a pair of RBIs, increasing his MWL-leading RBI total to 10.
The third game of the four-game series will be held at 11:05 a.m. Wednesday, featuring ace Lansing right-hander Yennsy Diaz (1-0, 0.00) against Fort Wayne left-hander Nick Margevicius (0-0, 0.00).
The Lansing Lugnuts return home at 7:05 p.m. on Friday the 13th, opening a seven-day, six-game homestand against West Michigan and Lake County. To purchase tickets and live the LugLife, visit lansinglugnuts.com or call (517) 485-4500.
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