Lansing Makes Strides In Seventh
LANSING, Mich. – A four-run bottom of the seventh inning for the Lansing Lugnuts (Toronto Blue Jays) did the TinCaps in on Monday night in a 7-4 loss for Fort Wayne at Cooley Law School Stadium.
The TinCaps (18-26, 54-60) had used a three-run sixth to take a 3-2 lead — powered by a two-run homer from third baseman Carlos Belen — until the Lugnuts (22-22, 58-56) responded in a big way in the seventh. For Belen, 20, it was his eighth long ball of the year — second most on the squad.
Fort Wayne’s first run in the sixth came on a sacrifice fly off catcher Austin Allen’s bat. Earlier, in the first, the left-handed batting Allen swatted an opposite-field double to left to extend the longest active hitting streak in the Midwest League to 22 games. Allen is now just one game with a hit shy of matching the franchise record hitting streak at 23. The record is held by former major leaguer Sean Burroughs, who set the mark for the Wizards in 1999.
Jacob Nix started and went the first five innings for the TinCaps, allowing two runs and striking out five. He was replaced by lefty Elvin Liriano (L, 1-1), who retired the first four batters he faced before the next seven in a row reached, chasing him out of the game.
Starlyn Suriel (W, 5-2) was effective out of the Lansing bullpen with 1 2/3 scoreless innings after the starter Jordan Romano allowed Belen’s home run. Kirby Snead (S, 1) allowed a run in the ninth but nothing more. The Lugnuts had expanded their lead to 7-3 in the eighth with a run against Aaron Cressley.
Fort Wayne and Lansing meet again at 12:35 p.m. Tuesday.