| Monday, August 16, 2010 For Immediate Release |
Contact: Jesse Goldberg-Strassler ( 517) 485-4500 ext. 233 |
TinCaps seize rubber match from Lugnuts, 6-4
LANSING, Mich. – Dean Anna blasted a go-ahead solo home run in the fifth inning and the Fort Wayne TinCaps (31-19; 67-53) defeated the Lansing Lugnuts (25-24; 61-57), 6-4, in the rubber match of a three-game series on Monday evening on Jackson Field.
The Lugnuts' loss combined with a comeback triumph for West Michigan, the Whitecaps' 12th straight win, to drop Lansing a game behind their intrastate rivals for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Division.
The Lugs took a 3-0 lead two innings into the game, but errors by first baseman K.C. Hobson and third baseman Kevin Ahrens allowed Fort Wayne to tie the game in the fourth inning.
One frame later, Anna crushed a monstrous home run to right-center off Lansing starter Drew Hutchison (0-1) to give the TinCaps the lead for good.
A two-out, two-run single by Everett Williams off the glove of Hobson in the eighth provided a pair of important insurance runs, offsetting an Eric Eiland RBI grounder in the bottom of the ninth.
Noah Mull (1-0) pitched two scoreless innings to pick up the win for Fort Wayne, the first of four effective TinCaps relievers. Matt Jackson fired the sixth and seventh innings, Jeff Ibarra took care of the eighth, and Miles Mikolas worked the ninth for his sixth save.
The Midwest League holds its final scheduled day off of the season on Tuesday before the Lugnuts open a three-game series on Wednesday night against the South Bend Silver Hawks. Nuts left-hander Egan Smith (5-2, 4.60) goes to the mound against Hawks right-hander Andrew Wolcott (1-2, 5.64). First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m.
Tickets to all Lugnuts home games are available for purchase online at www.lansinglugnuts.com, at the stadium box office, and by calling 517-485-4500.
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