Series #20 vs Great Lakes

The Lugnuts had a great week against the Great Lakes Loons (Los Angeles Dodgers affiliate) going 4-2 bringing our season record to 52-61. By winning this series, we clinched a season series win against the Loons going 12-9. The Loons have been the best team in our division, with the best record in the first half which secured a playoff spot, and have run through teams with their consistent lineup and deep pitching. I pitched once this week for the first time in a while - I usually throw twice - and made that one outing count.

After pitching on Sunday the week prior, I was available to pitch starting Wednesday but didn’t end up getting in until Saturday. We were 2-2 on the week leading into the weekend so Saturday was a decisive game. We had a spot starter pitch for us on Saturday and since he was on a pitch count, I warmed up in the first inning but didn’t go in the game. I entered in the 4th with runners on first and second with nobody out in a tie game. I got a big strikeout on a 3-2 changeup and then a huge double play to escape trouble. Here’s the 1-6 double play:

I went back out for the 5th inning and made quick work of the Loons. Strikeout, fly out, single, fly out. In the 6th I got help from my defense - the lead off hitter hit a deep fly ball into centerfield but he got thrown out trying to leg out a triple by our centerfielder, Junior Perez, who had a monster weekend. I followed up that great play with two strikeouts to finish my outing, one of my best of the year. Of the 24 swings that the Loons took against my pitches, 15 of them were swung on and missed (or whiffed). All four of my strikeouts were swinging and I had a whiff on all four of my pitches (fastball, cutter, curveball, changeup) for the first time in a while. Nasty! My three scoreless innings allowed us to take the lead and keep it for the remainder of the game. We then went on to win on Sunday as well.

In the stands behind first base at the end of the video, you can make out my aunt, uncle, and two cousins cheering. They made the trip out from Oakville, Ontario - about four hours from Lansing. My cousins are now twelve years old and huge sports fans so I wasn’t surprised when I met them after the game and one had a Lansing jersey and the other had a Lansing hat both already signed by my teammates. It was awesome to see them !!

The Lugnuts head to Dayton, Ohio to play the Dayton Dragons (Cincinnati Reds affiliate) this week. Go Nuts!

Thanks for reading