Magdic impresses in 3-0 defeat

COMSTOCK PARK, Mich. – Pitching in a piggyback role, southpaw Ryan Magdic tossed four innings of one-hit scoreless relief, though the Lansing Lugnuts (22-31, 58-61) fell to the West Michigan Whitecaps (39-14, 83-35), 3-0, on Saturday night at LMCU Ballpark.

The game was completed in a brisk one hour and 55 minutes.

A Peyton Graham RBI double and run-scoring wild pitch in the first inning and a Jack Penney solo home run in the third supplied all of the scoring of the game. All came against Lansing starter Steven Echavarria, who gave up a total of three hits and one walk in four innings.

Magdic relieved Echavarria to begin the fifth and was near untouchable, allowing only one base runner – an Austin Murr single in the seventh – while striking out five Whitecaps.

But the Lugnuts’ offense was held off the scoreboard and limited to a pair of C.J. Pittaro singles, a Cameron Leary double and a Casey Yamauchi single by a trio of Whitecaps pitchers.

The Nuts did distinguish themselves defensively: left fielder Leary leaped at the wall to rob a Bennett Lee drive in the second inning; center fielder Ryan Lasko made a sensational catch at the wall to take away extra bases from Andrew Jenkins in the third, and second baseman Yamauchi jumped to spear a Patrick Lee liner in the fifth.

The Lugnuts send right-hander Grant Judkins to the mound in the Sunday 2 p.m. finale looking to avoid the sweep. West Michigan counters with right-hander Lucas Elissalt.
The Lugnuts play the Whitecaps through Sunday, returning to Lansing for the final homestand of the regular season from August 26-31 vs. Lake County. For tickets, visit the stadium box office at 505 E. Michigan Ave. in downtown Lansing, call (517) 485-4500 during office hours, or visit lansinglugnuts.com.

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