Taylor collects 3 hits and Large homers in 7-2 loss

LANSING, Mich. - Cullen Large slugged his second home run of the year and Samad Taylor collected three hits, but the Lansing Lugnuts (6-4) dropped the opener of a three-game series to the Lake County Captains (5-5), 7-2, on Tuesday night at Cooley Law School Stadium.

The Captains snapped a five-game losing streak, taking control of the game with a six-run top of the third inning against Lugnuts starter Maverik Buffo (Loss, 0-1).

Buffo lasted 2 1/3 innings, allowing nine hits - seven consecutive to start the third - and six runs along with two walks and one strikeout.

He was followed by quality relief: Andy Ravel tossed 2 2/3 scoreless innings; Kyle Weatherly held the Captains off the scoreboard in the sixth, seventh and eighth innings; and Dany Jimenez gave up an unearned run in the ninth.

But beyond three singles from Taylor, who raised his batting average to .333, three walks for Kacy Clemens , a third-inning RBI single from Kevin Smith , and Large's ninth-inning roundtripper, the Lugnuts were unable to mount sustained offense. Lansing finished the game 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position, stranding nine runners on base.

Lake County ace Eli Morgan lasted only the first three innings due to elevated pitch count, though he did increase his league-leading strikeout total to 23 with six K's. Domingo Jimenez (Win, 2-0) held the Lugnuts without a hit or a run from the fourth through the sixth innings to put himself in position to pick up the victory.

In the losing cause, Lansing's Smith and Clemens each extended their consecutive on-base streak to nine games.

The middle game of the three-game series is a Winning Wednesday set for a 5:05 p.m. start: If the Lugnuts defeat the Captains, all tickets to the game may be exchanged at the Cooley Law School Stadium box office for a ticket of equal or lesser value to a future Lugnuts game this season. Right-hander Donnie Sellers (1.60) gets the start for Lansing, opposed by Lake County southpaw Juan Hillman (7.36). For more information, visit lansinglugnuts.com or call (517) 485-4500.
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