| Saturday, August 21, 2010 For Immediate Release |
Contact: Jesse Goldberg-Strassler ( 517) 485-4500 ext. 233 |
TinCaps stifle Lugnuts, 5-3
FORT WAYNE, Ind. – Jeudy Valdez broke a tie with a two-run third inning double and the Fort Wayne TinCaps (34-20; 51-68) crept closer to a playoff berth with a 5-3 victory over the Lansing Lugnuts (26-28; 62-61) on Saturday night at Parkview Field.
With the win, the TinCaps shaved their magic number for clinching a postseason spot to nine. Conversely, the Lugnuts fell two games behind victorious West Michigan for the final Eastern Division playoff slot.
Brad Glenn's RBI double and Balbino Fuenmayor's two-run double staked the Lugnuts out to a 3-0 lead five batters into the game, but Pedro Hernandez and three relievers clamped down from there.
Griffin Benedict's RBI single and Everett Williams' two-run homer in the second inning tied the score, setting up Valdez's tie-breaking blow an inning later.
Hernandez (4-3) finished five frames to earn the victory, Stiven Osuna combined with Jackson Quezada to blank the Lugnuts through the eighth, and Miles Mikolas pitched around a two-out walk in the ninth for his eighth save.
In his Midwest League debut, Lansing starter Casey Lawrence (0-1) allowed five runs on seven hits and three walks in 4 1/3 innings to take the loss.
The Lugnuts will send right-hander Drew Hutchison (0-1, 1.80) to the mound on Sunday at 3:05 p.m., opposing Fort Wayne right-hander Jerry Sullivan (7-4, 4.41).
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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