Lugnuts' offense erupts, 11-7 over Dragons

Edward Olivares went 3-for-4 with a walk, single, double and home run in the Lugnuts' best offensive game in over a week. (Tyler Marcotte)

By Jesse Goldberg-Strassler

July 26, 2017

LANSING, Mich. - Edward Olivares finished a triple shy of a cycle and Nick Sinay had a three-run triple amid a seven-run fifth-inning rally, helping the Lansing Lugnuts (12-20, 49-49) deal the Dayton Dragons (12-20, 53-49) an 11-7 defeat on Wednesday night at Cooley Law School Stadium.The Nuts had scored five runs or fewer

LANSING, Mich. - Edward Olivares finished a triple shy of a cycle and Nick Sinay had a three-run triple amid a seven-run fifth-inning rally, helping the Lansing Lugnuts (12-20, 49-49) deal the Dayton Dragons (12-20, 53-49) an 11-7 defeat on Wednesday night at Cooley Law School Stadium.

The Nuts had scored five runs or fewer in seven games in a row before breaking out in the opener of a seven-game homestand.

Jose Siri blasted a home run on the first pitch of the game from Yennsy Diaz , putting the Dragons up 1-0 and extending his league-leading hitting streak to 31 games.

The Lugnuts' offense responded against Matt Blandino(Loss, 1-3), battering the Dayton starter for 12 hits and 11 runs in just 4 2/3 innings.

Rodrigo Orozco started the attack with a two-out RBI single in the third inning, followed by a two-run homer by Olivares for a 3-1 lead. It was Olivares's team-leading 16th home run.

In the fourth, Mattingly Romanin 's RBI double increased the lead to 4-1.

And in the fifth, the Lugnuts piled up eight hits, with RBI singles from Olivares, Nash Knight and Luis Silva before Sinay's bases-clearing triple to right-center broke the game wide open. Joshua Palacios tacked on an RBI single for good measure.

Lansing starter Diaz (Win, 3-2) pitched six innings, allowing four hits and two runs, striking out five while walking three.

Andrew Deramo allowed a pair of home runs in relief, a Siri three-run shot in the seventh inning and a Bruce Yari two-run homer in the eighth.

Connor Eller pitched around a Siri double in a scoreless ninth.

In defeat, Siri finished 3-for-4 with a walk, two runs scored, a double, two home runs and four RBIs. His 31-game hitting streak is four games away from tying the Midwest League record.

The top of the Lugnuts' lineup - Palacios, Orozco, Olivares and MitchNay - each notched multi-hit games, with the top three batters each scoring two runs. The Nuts batted 10-for-15 as a team with runners in scoring position.

The second game of the three-game series is a Country Night Labatt Thirsty Thursday starring the comedy of Donnie Baker plus $2 beers/sodas and half off craft beers! Lansing right-hander Osman Gutierrez (10.13) starts against Dayton right-hander Alex Webb (3.65). Tickets may be purchased at the Cooley Law School Stadium box office, by calling (517) 485-4500 or via lansinglugnuts.com.
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