| Sunday, May 20, 2012 For Immediate Release |
Contact: Jesse Goldberg-Strassler ( 517) 485-4500, extension 233 |
Lugnuts blank Captains, 2-0, in 2:01
EASTLAKE, OH – The Lansing Lugnuts’ (31-12) Justin Nicolino, Aaron Sanchez and Ajay Meyer combined to throw a three-hit shutout of the Lake County Captains (21-22) on Sunday afternoon at Classic Park.
The win is Lansing’s fourth in a row, their Midwest League-leading eighth shutout of the season and it gives the Lugnuts a chance to sweep the Captains in Lake County on Monday night.
Only three Captains baserunners advanced past first base; they put multiple runners on only once, in the sixth.
Justin Nicolino started in front of 28 friends and family members and twirled four, two-hit innings while striking out three and walking none. The lefty got stronger as the game went on and retired the final nine batters he faced after allowing a leadoff single in the second.
Aaron Sanchez (Win, 5-0) worked four innings as well and hit two batters, gave up just one hit, one walk while striking out five.
Carlos Perez gave Lansing all the offense they needed in the top of the first when he lined the eighth pitch of the game’s second at-bat into the left field bleachers off of Lake County starter Cody Anderson (Loss, 5-1) who threw well.
Anderson turned in a six-inning performance in which he allowed two runs on six hits with no walks and a career-high eight strikeouts.
The only other run he allowed was off another solo home run, an Andy Burns laser over the right field fence in the sixth inning.
Burns finished 2-for-3 with his team-leading fourteenth double and seventh home run of the year, both of which pace the 2012 Lugnuts.
For the second game in a row, Ajay Meyer retired the Captains in order to earn the save, his league-leading 15th of the season.
The game took just two hours and one minute to conclude.
Grand Rapids native Jesse Hernandez (3-2, 2.42) starts for Lansing in the finale of the three-game road trip to Lake County opposed by Captains lefty Shawn Morimando (1-0, 4.50). Game time is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. on Monday. The Lugnuts will return home Wednesday, May 23rd, against the Dayton Dragons to begin a seven-game homestand with a Ladies Night. Tickets are available for purchase online at www.lansinglugnuts.com, at the stadium box office, and by calling 517-485-4500.
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