APPLETON, Wisc. – C.J. Pittaro’s second career professional home run was an inside-the-park homer off rehabbing Milwaukee Brewers reliever D.L. Hall, and the Lansing Lugnuts (12-19, 41-54) raced past the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (16-15, 50-43), 5-3, on Wednesday evening at Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium.
Knuckleballing Devin Kirby tossed five scoreless innings and Jake Reinisch slugged his first home run in affiliated ball, a three-run shot in a four-run sixth inning, as Lansing turned in a strong response to a series-opening defeat.
After Kirby matched zeroes with Wisconsin southpaw J.D. Thompson through the first four innings, Hall entered from the Rattlers’ pen and struck out the first two batters he faced.
The third batter was Pittaro, who sliced a fly ball down the left field line. Tyler Rodriguez attempted a backhand catch, but missed the baseball in an awkward lunge that left him slow to recover as the ball sat behind him. Pittaro galloped around the bases and scored standing, a big smile across his face, to give the Nuts a 1-0 lead. It was his first home run since June 22, 2025, with Single-A Stockton.
Reinisch increased the lead to 4-0 an inning later, walloping a 3-2 pitch from Daniel Corniel out to left-center, and Pedro Pineda added an RBI single two batters later to put the Nuts up by five.
Wisconsin rallied for three runs in the bottom of the sixth off Griffin Kirn, but Luis Castillo (1 1/3), Jose Dicochea (1 inning) and Blaze Pontes (1 inning) turned off the lights without any late-inning drama.
Lugnuts center fielder Carlos Pacheco went 2-for-3 with a pair of singles to aid the winning cause.
The Nuts turn to right-hander Jorge Marcheco for the third game of the six-game set at 6:40 p.m. local / 7:40 p.m. Eastern on Thursday. Major League rehabber Kyle Harrison starts for Wisconsin.
The Lugnuts next return home from August 4-9, hosting the Lake County Captains. For tickets and more information, call (517) 485-4500 or visit www.milb.com/lansing.
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