Lugnuts open 2018 with 12-1 rout of Loons

MIDLAND, Mich. - Yennsy Diaz struck out 10 batters in 5 2/3 innings and the Lansing Lugnuts (1-0) piled up 13 hits in a 12-1 season-opening steamrolling of the Great Lakes Loons (0-1) on Thursday night at Dow Diamond.

Kevin Vicuña, Reggie Pruitt and Chavez Young each notched three hits to lead the offense, with Vicuña and Pruitt knocking two-run singles in a six-run ninth to blow the game open.

The headlines, however, were stolen early by the 21-year-old Diaz (Win, 1-0), who struck out the side looking in the first inning, struck out the side swinging in the fourth inning, and held the Loons without a hit until Ramon Rodriguez's opposite-field double opened the sixth. He departed with a flourish, fanning Brandon Montgomery before handing the ball to his bullpen.

The Lugnuts' offense, meanwhile, manufactured an early lead with two runs in the first inning and a solo tally in the second off Loons starter Max Gamboa (Loss, 0-1).

Kevin Smith's two-run single made it 5-0 in the fifth against reliever Andre Scrubb.

Pruitt (3-for-5, 2 runs, 3 RBIs) singled home Christian Williams for a 6-0 lead in the eighth.

After the Loons ended Lansing's shutout bid on Brayan Morales's eighth-inning RBI single off reliever Donnie Sellers , the Lugnuts put the game away with an 11-batter, five-hit, two-walk, six-run rally against Great Lakes relievers Devin Hemmerich and James Carter in the top of the ninth.

Shortstop Vicuña and first baseman Kacy Clemens each scored three runs while third baseman Smith and center fielder Pruitt drove in three runs apiece.

The Lugnuts' bullpen handled the final ten outs of the game, with the baton passed from Andy Ravel (1/3 IP, finishing the sixth) to Maximo Castillo (three strikeouts in a hitless seventh) to Sellers (one hit and one run allowed in the eighth) to Kyle Weatherly (a perfect ninth).

The Loons only managed two hits all night.

Left-hander Zach Logue makes his Lugnuts debut on Friday night at 6:05 p.m. at Dow Diamond, opposing Loons right-hander Riley Ottesen in the second game of the four-game home-and-home series.

The Nuts open Cooley Law School Stadium on Saturday with an Opening Day Block Party beginning with Meet the Team at 3 p.m., followed by a team-wide autograph session. Gates open at 5 p.m., with the first 1,000 fans through the gates receiving a commemorative scarf presented by Auto-Owners Insurance. LAFCU Fireworks follow the game. For more information, visit lansinglugnuts.com or call (517) 485-4500.
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