LANSING, Mich. - All-Star Maverik Buffo allowed one run in six innings to become the second Midwest League pitcher to reach eight wins, and the Lansing Lugnuts (4-0, 47-27) completed a four-game sweep of the Great Lakes Loons (0-4, 24-48), 4-3, on Sunday afternoon at Cooley Law School Stadium.The Lugnuts have
LANSING, Mich. - All-Star Maverik Buffo allowed one run in six innings to become the second Midwest League pitcher to reach eight wins, and the Lansing Lugnuts (4-0, 47-27) completed a four-game sweep of the Great Lakes Loons (0-4, 24-48), 4-3, on Sunday afternoon at Cooley Law School Stadium.
The Lugnuts have won seven straight home games, bridging the end of the first half and the start of the second half.
Buffo (Win, 8-2) turned in his fourth quality start of the year, striking out three, walking none, and holding the Loons to a fourth-inning solo home run from Brayan Morales.
Four of the first five Lugnuts batters hit safely against Loons starter Leo Crawford (Loss, 0-4), with Ryan Noda ripping an RBI double and Brock Lundquist delivering a two-run single in a three-run first inning.
Ryan Gold led off the second inning with a single. That turned out to be the Lugnuts' last hit of the game, going 0-for-20 with two walks to finish the game.
The second of those walks was drawn by Samad Taylor leading off the seventh inning against reliever Dan Jagiello, leading to a memorable tour of the bases. With Norberto Obeso at bat, Taylor eluded multiple pickoff attempts before stealing second base. Jagiello continued to pay Taylor close attention, spinning and firing a throw toward - and sailing it into center field. The Lugnut raced toward third while center fielder Brayan Morales picked up the ball and attempted to throw him out - only to see his throw bounce off a sliding Taylor and skip into foul ground. Taylor popped up and sprinted home while third baseman Eric Peterson retrieved and tried to make a play - but his throw, too, went awry. Taylor scored, slapping his hand atop home plate for an important 4-1 lead.
Kyle Weatherly blanked the Loons in the seventh and eighth innings, yielding to Matt Shannon (Save, 3) for the ninth. The Loons' Darrell Miller knocked a one-out, two-run double to pull Great Lakes within a run, but Shannon responded by coaxing a pair of groundouts to shortstop to end the game.
The Lugnuts' seven-game homestand continues on Monday with a Dog Days of Summer as the Lake County Captains arrive at Cooley Law School Stadium for a 7:05 p.m. start. Bring your dog(s) and live the Lug Life! To purchase tickets, visit lansinglugnuts.com or call (517) 485-4500.
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