LANSING, Mich. – Tzu-Chen Sha struck out six in four dominant scoreless innings, and the Lansing Lugnuts’ (27-35, 56-70) offense collected 12 hits to down the Fort Wayne TinCaps (26-35, 53-74), 8-2, under the lights on Thursday night at JacksonⓇ Field™.
Rodney Green Jr. (3-for-4, one walk, one RBI), Jake Reinisch (3-for-4, three RBIs, one walk), Jared Davis (2-for-5, two runs scored, two RBIs) and Alex Fernandes (2-for-3, three runs scored, two walks) cut through the Fort Wayne pitching staff to give the Lugnuts their 15th win in 18 home contests.
Lansing starter Samuel Dutton surrendered a two-run homer to Yoiber Ocopio with one out in the second inning – and that ended Fort Wayne’s offensive contributions for the evening.
In the third, Fernandes took first base off a walk issued by TinCaps starter Bryan Balzer, and Davis reached with an infield single as Fort Wayne attempted a double play but didn’t record an out. The duo of baserunners executed a double steal two batters later, and Reinisch knocked them home with a soft two-run double that right fielder Dylan Grego narrowly missed with a diving-catch attempt.
The Lugnuts carried their momentum into the fourth; Myles Naylor led off the inning with a single to center, Fernandes reached first on a fielder’s choice while Naylor arrived safely at second due to a fielding error from second baseman Yimy Tovar, and Davis drove in the runners with a two-run triple rocketed into right-center for a 4-2 lead.
Four batters and a pitching change later, Green plated Davis with an RBI single to left off reliever Sean Barnett to give the Lugnuts a three-run advantage.
After Dutton exited the game after three innings – allowing four hits, two walks and two runs with one strikeout – Sha took over and dominated. Other than a fourth-inning error committed by Fernandes in center field, Sha retired 11 batters before allowing his first hit of the ballgame with two outs in the top of the seventh. Sha responded with a whiff of Kasen Wells to end his outing with six strikeouts and one hit allowed in four innings.
In the bottom of the seventh, Lansing cemented the victory with another trio of runs. Tanner Marsh drew a walk to lead off the inning, Fernandes knocked a single to left to put runners at the corners and Breyson Guedez made it 7-2 with a two-run double to the warning track in left field. Reinisch capped off the scoring with an RBI single in the following at-bat for an 8-2 lead.
In addition to Green, Reinisch, Davis and Fernandes, Naylor and Guedez collected the two other hits. Naylor also scored a run, and Guedez scored a run to accompany two RBIs.
After Sha, Mitch Myers pitched the two remaining scoreless innings, giving up one hit and one walk with one strikeout.
The Lugnuts will start Jose Dicochea on the mound on Friday to challenge Fort Wayne’s Nick Falter. Gates open at 6 p.m., first pitch is scheduled for 7:05 and LAFCU Fireworks are planned for after the game. For tickets and more information, call (517) 485-4500 or visit www.milb.com/lansing.
# # #