Lugs fall just short in Dayton, 4-3

DAYTON, OH - The Lansing Lugnuts (33-29, 76-56) closed to within one run with the bases loaded and one out in the ninth before falling, 4-3, to the Dayton Dragons (25-37, 56-74) on Saturday night at Fifth Third Field.

The result halted Dayton's six-game losing streak against the Lugnuts. The Nuts own a 16-4 record in the season series against the Dragons.

Through the first seven innings, the Lugnuts had scored only one run - an inside-the-park home run by Brandon Grudzielanek in the fourth inning, the first Nuts inside-the-park home run since 2015.

The Dragons broke a 1-1 tie with three runs in the bottom of the seventh against reliever Matt Shannon (Loss, 3-5), thanks to RBI singles from Raul Wallace and Jeter Downs and an RBI fielder's choice from Leandro Santana, taking a 4-1 lead.

In the eighth inning, however, a throwing error by Alejo Lopez placed Reggie Pruitt at second base. After a Chavez Young groundout moved Pruitt to third, reliever Dauri Moreta (Win, 3-1) committed a run-scoring balk to bring the Nuts within 4-2.

That set the stage for a dramatic ninth inning.

Norberto Obeso led off against reliever Cory Thompson with a single to left-center. After a strikeout of Andres Sotillo , Bryan Lizardo grounded a seeing-eye single up the middle to advance Obeso to second. Vinny Capra then grounded to first baseman Leandro Santana, who committed a throwing error while intending to force out Lizardo at second, scoring Obeso to narrow the Dragons' lead to 4-3.

Dayton manager Luis Bolivar went to his bullpen, calling in left-hander Andy Cox. Lugnuts manager Cesar Martin countered with pinch-hitter Ryan Noda , who came through with a single up the middle to load the bases.

Bolivar went back to his bullpen for Wendolyn Bautista, and the veteran right-hander came through, striking out Pruitt and retiring Samad Taylor on a lineout to center to notch his second save of the year.

In the losing cause, Capra went 3-for-4 with two singles and a double and Lansing starter Maximo Castillo tossed six innings, allowing four hits, two walks and one run, and striking out three - his team-leading sixth quality start.

Lansing right-hander Graham Spraker (3.29 ERA) starts the third game of the four-game series against Dayton right-hander Jared Solomon (5.19) at 2 p.m. Sunday.

The Nuts' next home game is an Eat-A-Palooza presented by Gordon Food Service on Wednesday, August 29th, against the Great Lakes Loons, with first pitch at 7:05 p.m. To purchase tickets and live the Lug Life at Cooley Law School Stadium, visit lansinglugnuts.com or call (517) 485-4500.
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