Perkins delivers gem, Nuts shut down Cubs

SOUTH BEND, Ind. – *Pitching in front of over 40 family members and friends, *Jack Perkins set a new career high with seven scoreless innings, and the Lansing Lugnuts (26-30) topped the South Bend Cubs (28-28), 3-1, on Saturday night at Four Winds Field.

The Lugnuts managed only two hits in the game – but they were a Brayan Buelvas RBI double capping a two-run fourth and a Jonny Butler solo home run in the sixth inning, Butler’s team-leading sixth homer of the year.
The rest was left up to the arms, and the starter from Kokomo was up for the occasion. On 91 pitches, 59 strikes, Perkins struck out five Cubs while allowing only four base runners – three hits and a walk – two of which he erased with double-play balls.

Lefty John Beller handled the final two innings with four strikeouts, allowing a two-out RBI single in the bottom of the ninth to Yohendrick Piñango before ending the game with a whiff of Fabian Pertuz.

The Lugnuts have won three of the first five games of the series, setting up the chance for a series victory in the 2:05 p.m. Sunday finale, with right-hander Mitch Myers facing South Bend right-hander Connor Noland.

Then the Nuts will return home to take on the Peoria Chiefs from June 13-June 18. Tickets are available via lansinglugnuts.com or by calling (517) 485-4500.

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