DAYTON, OH – Rodney Green, Jr. homered, Jake Reinisch reached base five times, and the Lansing Lugnuts (4-11, 33-46) used seven pitchers for an 8-2 team triumph over the Dayton Dragons (7-7, 46-34) on Sunday afternoon at Day Air Ballpark.
The result clinched both a six-game series split and an overall 8-7 season series win for the Lugnuts over the first half MWL East Division champs.
The Nuts jumped on Dayton starter Ty Floyd, grabbing a 1-0 lead in the first inning on a Naylor single and Reinisch RBI double.
Two innings later, Green smashed a 430-foot home run to right, his team-leading ninth long ball, for a 2-0 lead.
A two-run throwing error by Dayton first baseman Peyton Stovall keyed a three-run fourth inning against reliever Stephen Quigley.
In the fifth, Pedro Pineda singled in Naylor and C.J. Pittaro added a sacrifice fly off David Lorduy for a 7-0 lead.
Gunner Gouldsmith tacked on a sac fly off Lorduy in the seventh to close out the Lansing scoring.
Meanwhile, Steven Echavarria struck out six in 3 2/3 scoreless innings before handing the ball to Riley Huge for the final out of the fourth (a strikeout).
The Lugnuts’ bullpen then passed the baton: Ben Hansen earned his first A’s organizational win with a scoreless fifth; Griffin Kirn gave up two runs on three hits in the sixth; Abel Mercedes touched 101 mph in a hitless seventh; Darlin Pinales struck out two to strand runners at second and third in the eighth; and Jose Dicochea induced a double-play ball from Julio Carreras to face the minimum in the ninth.
In the win, designated hitter Reinisch doubled, singled, walked twice and was hit by a pitch; Pineda singled twice and drew a walk; and Naylor singled and doubled twice.
After a day off on Monday, the Lugnuts continue their two-week Ohio road trip with a six-game series at Lake County beginning Tuesday.
The Nuts next return to JacksonⓇ Field™ for a three-game series against the Fort Wayne Tin Caps from July 17-19. For tickets and more information, call (517) 485-4500 or visit www.milb.com/lansing.
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