Koenig, Fort Wayne take opener, 7-2

FORT WAYNE, Ind. – In a special all-Copa match-up, las Manzanas Luchadoras de Fort Wayne (7-3, 38-37) pinned the Lansing Locos (4-6, 40-36), 7-2, on Tuesday night at Parkview Field.

Fort Wayne starter Ian Koenig allowed only two hits in 6 1/3 innings – a Rodney Green, Jr. single and a Jared Dickey solo home run.

Meanwhile his teammates scored three in the first inning off Grant Judkins, added a Brandon Butterworth solo home run in the third, and then put it away with three runs in the seventh off Tom Reisinger.

The game marked the start of a six-game home-and-home series, with three games in Fort Wayne, July 1-3, followed by three games in Lansing, July 4-6.

Starter Judkins had blanked Fort Wayne on no hits and eight strikeouts in four innings back on April 6, Lansing’s first win of the season, but allowed seven hits, two walks and four runs (three earned) in 5 2/3 innings, striking out four.

Koenig only recorded one strikeout, but kept Lansing’s lineup off balance, retiring 11 consecutive batters before a walk to Green in the seventh ended his evening. Lansing went on to put runners at first and third against reliever Rubén Galindo, but a double-play ball from Jonny Butler ended the threat.

Lansing loaded the bases an inning later against Galindo, but Nate Nankil lined into a double play against new reliever Garrett Hawkins. Nankil finished the game 0-for-4, ending his 13-game hitting streak and 19-game on-base streak.

Corey Avant starts the second game of the series at 7:05 p.m. Wednesday, opposed by Fort Wayne spot-starter Sam Whiting.

Tickets to the Lansing/Fort Wayne games from Friday, July 4, through Sunday, July 6, are available for purchase at the stadium box office, (517) 485-4500 or online at milb.com/lansing.

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