Nuts enjoy HR Derby Day in matinee

LANSING, Mich. - The Lansing Lugnuts (17-9) crushed four solo home runs on their way to a 6-2 afternoon victory over the Kane County Cougars (11-11) on Wednesday afternoon at Cooley Law School Stadium.
 
Audio: The Lugnuts' four solo HRs

Kevin Smith , Kacy Clemens , Brock Lundquist and Chavez Young each went deep, backing a third consecutive six-inning stint from starter Zach Logue in helping the Lugnuts stop a two-game skid and split the first two games of the three-game series, setting up a Thursday rubber match.

The Nuts lead the Midwest League with 23 home runs.

(Lansing's offense also tops the circuit in runs, run differential, hits, total bases, doubles, walks, steals, on-base percentage, slugging percentage and OPS.)

Logue (Win, 3-0) limited the Cougars to two runs, one earned, walking one while striking out five. It was his third straight quality start as well as the fifth straight start in which the Lugnuts emerged victorious.

Kyle Weatherly followed Logue with a scoreless seventh before Matt Shannon (Save, 1) held the Cougars off the board in the eighth and ninth.

First baseman Clemens homered for the second straight day, his league-leading sixth home run. Smith singled and homered, his fourth of the season, to extend his on-base streak to 24 games. Lundquist singled, walked and homered, his fourth roundtripper since April 23rd. Young scored three runs, coming in on RBI singles by Kevin Vicuña and Christian Williams in the third and fifth innings respectively before icing the game with his second home run of the year, a drive to straightaway center.

Kane County starter Brian Shaffer (Loss, 0-2) pitched 4 1/3 innings, allowing seven hits, three runs (one earned) and one of the homers - hit by his former college teammate, Smith.

The other three longballs came off of reliever Abraham Almonte, who served up Clemens's shot in the seventh and Lundquist's and Young's home runs in the eighth.

In the series finale, a 7:05 p.m. tilt on Thursday, Lansing will send right-hander Donnie Sellers (7.16 ERA) against a Cougars starter to be determined. It's a special Labatt Thirsty Thursday featuring $2 beer/wine/soda and half-off craft beer, plus it's Mike Sadler Night honoring the late Michigan State All-American punter with the first 1,000 fans receiving a Spartan-green No. 3 Lugnuts jersey and much more, with a silent auction and sales of Hey Diddle Diddle to benefit the Michael Sadler Foundation. To purchase tickets and live the Lug Life, visit lansinglugnuts.com or call (517) 485-4500.
 
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