New-look Locos crack Kernels, 6-2

LANSING, Mich. – In their first game after roster transactions saw seven players depart and six newcomers arrive, the Lansing Locos (13-18, 49-48) enjoyed a convincing 6-2 victory over the Cedar Rapids Kernels (16-14, 56-40) in front of 4,574 on Tuesday night at Jackson® Field™.

Lansing had entered the series in a funk, losing eight of nine games since the All-Star Break. But the Locos played balanced ball: six different players scored runs, four players drove in runs, four players stole a base, and five pitchers combined to limit the Kernels’ explosive offense to five hits.

Of those Cedar Rapids hits: two came in the second inning, a Brandon Winokur home run for a 1-0 lead, followed by a Danny De Andrade single off starter Steven Echavarria. But De Andrade was caught stealing, and the Kernels were held hitless by Echavarria in the third; Jack Mahoney in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings; Blaze Pontes in the seventh; and Wander**Guante** in the eighth.

It was not until the ninth inning – after Lansing had taken control of the game with two runs in the third, one in the fifth, one in the sixth and two in the eighth – that Cedar Rapids strung together three straight singles against Mark Adamiak. Adamiak’s next pitch was hit into a double play by Winokur, and a flyout by De Andrade wrapped up the game.

Notable High-A debut performances:
- left fielder Cameron Leary went 1-for-4 with an RBI groundout and a stolen base; Leary arrived in Lansing having stolen 44 bases for Single-A Stockton.
- center fielder Pedro Pineda went 1-for-3 with a sacrifice fly, an RBI single, a run scored, and a tremendous running catch on a Jaime Ferrer drive to deep right-center.
- and third baseman Ben Newton went 1-for-3 with a bunt single on the first Midwest League pitch he saw, scoring the go-ahead run in the third inning on a T.J. Schofield-Sam sacrifice fly.

The trio were the 970th, 971st and 972nd all-time players to suit up for the Lugnuts.

The 973rd will be southpaw Ryan Magdic, who starts a 1 p.m. matinee on Wednesday against Cedar Rapids right-hander Chase Chane. It’s Nuts Day Off at the ballpark, with a special Ferris Bueller Lugnuts Hockey Jersey Giveaway presented by the Michigan Soybean Committee. Gates open at 12 noon. Tickets are available for purchase at the stadium box office, (517) 485-4500 or by clicking here.

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