LANSING, Mich. – Pinch-runner Pedro Pineda scored the game-winning run in the bottom of the ninth on a wild pitch from Melkis Hernández, and the Lansing Lugnuts (18-22, 47-57) won their sixth straight game, walking off the Lake County Captains (17-22, 54-49), 3-2, in front of a Saturday night crowd of 6,114 at JacksonⓇ Field™.
The Lugnuts had been blanked through the first 7 2/3 innings, but tied the game in the bottom of the eighth on a run-scoring throwing error from third baseman Jeffrey Mercedes and a Jake Reinisch bases-loaded walk, before winning the game on three walks and two wild pitches in the ninth.
It was the second time in the series the Lugnuts came from behind late to win; Thursday's 6-5 victory required two runs in the bottom of the ninth, with Lansing walking off on a Daniel Bucciero two-out RBI single.
The victory extends the Nuts’ winning streak to six overall and gives the team a chance to collect a six-game sweep on Sunday, a feat the franchise has never achieved.
It was also the Nuts’ eighth consecutive home win and their seventh straight win against Lake County.
After being held scoreless Captains starter Jacob Zibin (5 innings) and reliever Donovan Zsak (two innings), the Lugnuts finally found some offense in the bottom of the eighth off Jogly García. After a pair of strikeouts, Jared Sprague-Lott singled into left field and advanced to third on a Breyson Guedez single to right-center.
A ground ball from Ali Camarillo to Mercedes at third base appeared like it would end the inning, but Mercedes’ throw to second baseman Juan Benjamin soared past its mark, allowing Sprague-Lott to come home to cut the deficit to 2-1. García’s night came to an end after he walked Daniel Bucciero to load the bases on the next at-bat.
The Captains turned to Melkis Hernández, but the reliever walked Reinisch with the bases loaded, bringing in Guedez to tie the game.
After Riley Huge pitched a scoreless top of the ninth, Hernández opened the bottom of the ninth with walks of Logan Sauve (replaced by Pineda as a pinch runner) and Gunner Gouldsmith. A wild pitch moved the runners to second and third, forcing the Captains to load the bases with an intentional walk of Sprague-Lott.
Hernández worked a 1-2 count on Guedez before whiffing the 18-year-old – but the pitch bounced away from catcher Cannon Peebles, plating Pineda for the win.
On offense, Sprague-Lott and Guedez collected Lansing’s only four hits with two apiece. Sprague-Lott also finished with two walks. The Lugnuts only had one RBI, the Reinisch bases-loaded walk.
In the winning effort, starter Samuel Dutton pitched his sixth quality start of the season, allowing two runs: a Tommy Hawke leadoff solo home run in the first and a Kevin Rivas RBI single in the second. The starter finished having allowed seven hits and one walk with five strikeouts.
Griffin Kirn and Huge combined to blank the Captains over the final three innings.
The Lugnuts will go for the six-game sweep on Sunday behind starter Devin Kirby-Williams, facing off against Lake County’s Ben Lively. The finale is a special Capital City Market Kids Day celebrating Big Lug’s Birthday, with the first 1,000 fans receiving a Big Lug bobblehead. First pitch is scheduled for 1:05. For tickets and more information, call (517) 485-4500 or visit www.milb.com/lansing.
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