| Sunday, April 15, 2012 For Immediate Release |
Contact: Jesse Goldberg-Strassler ( 517) 485-4500, extension 233 |
Patterson powers Lugnuts to 5-4 victory
COMSTOCK PARK, Mich. – Kevin Patterson hit a solo home run in the eighth inning, propelling the Lansing Lugnuts (9-1) to a 5-4 victory over the West Michigan Whitecaps (4-6) on Sunday afternoon at Fifth Third Ballpark.
The Lugnuts won three of four on the road against the Whitecaps in a series that was decided by four one-run games.
Patterson’s home run off of reliever Jade Todd (Loss, 1-1) capped more late-inning excitement in West Michigan.
The Lugnuts had taken a short-lived lead in the top of the seventh thanks to an RBI single from Jon Berti, but the Whitecaps tied the game in the bottom half off reliever Blake McFarland on a Brandon Loy sacrifice fly.
McFarland (Win, 1-0) retired the final eight Whitecaps he faced.
Grand Rapids native Jesse Hernandez started slowly, allowing five hits in the first three innings, including three consecutive doubles in the third, which gave the Whitecaps a 3-1 lead. Hernandez settled down after that, exiting to a resounding ovation from his friends and family with a six-inning, eight-hit, three-run performance.
Whitecaps starter, Wilsen Palacios did not factor into the decision because he exited a 3-3 game in the fifth after the red-hot Carlos Perez drove in a pair of runs with a two-out double.
The Lugs send top prospect Noah Syndergaard (1-0, 0.00) to the mound for the opener of the three-game series against the South Bend Silver Hawks, opposed by another mega-prospect Archie Bradley (1-1, 1.64). Game time is set for 7:05 p.m. on Monday evening at Cooley Law School Stadium. Tickets are available for purchase online at www.lansinglugnuts.com, at the stadium box office, and by calling 517-485-4500.# # #
