Two TinCaps two-run doubles send Lugs to second loss
FORT WAYNE, Ind. – The Fort Wayne TinCaps (2-0) used two swings – a two-out Brendan Durfee two-run double in the third inning and a two-out Brandon Butterworth two-run double in the eighth – to hand the Lansing Lugnuts (0-2) a second straight defeat, 4-1, on Saturday afternoon at Parkview
FORT WAYNE, Ind. – The Fort Wayne TinCaps (2-0) used two swings – a two-out Brendan Durfee two-run double in the third inning and a two-out Brandon Butterworth two-run double in the eighth – to hand the Lansing Lugnuts (0-2) a second straight defeat, 4-1, on Saturday afternoon at Parkview Field.
Shut out 5-0 on Opening Day, the Lugnuts scored their first run of the season on a Tommy White RBI hit-by-pitch in the top of the third inning.
They found no further success against Isaiah Lowe and a trio of TinCaps pitchers, finishing the game with three hits, all singles, from Jared Dickey, Cole Conn and Clark Elliott.
19-year-old debuting Nuts starter Steven Echavarria blanked Fort Wayne through the first 2 2/3 innings, striking out three. But with two outs in the third, Echavarria walked Leo De Vries and Jack Costello. Durfee followed with a drive to left-center, bringing in both runners for a 2-1 Fort Wayne lead.
Tom Reisinger relieved Echavarria and tossed 2 1/3 scoreless frames, striking out three, followed by 1 2/3 scoreless innings from Hunter Breault.
The TinCaps found insurance against Garrett Irvin in the eighth, using a Nerwilian Cedeño bunt single, Oswaldo Linares walk, and a pair of stolen bases to put runners at second and third with two outs. That brought up Butterworth, who drilled a fly ball over left fielder Clark Elliott for the TinCaps’ second two-run double of the game.
The Nuts threatened in the ninth against Fernando Sanchez via a Dickey one-out single and Jonny Butler two-out walk, but Sanchez struck out Conn to end the game.
One game remains in the season-opening three-game series, pitting Lugnuts right-hander Grant Judkins against TinCaps right-hander Eric Yost at 1:05 p.m. Sunday.
The Nuts return to Michigan’s state capital on Tuesday, opening the 66-game home schedule with a six-game series against the Great Lakes Loons from April 8-13. Single game tickets are on sale at the Jackson® Field™ box office, available for purchase at (517) 485-4500 or online at milb.com/lansing.
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