LANSING - After splitting the first half of a four-game series with the West Michigan Whitecaps in Grand Rapids this weekend, the Lansing Lugnuts dropped the third game of the series 4-2 Sunday at Oldsmobile Park.
The Whitecaps (26-28) shut out the Lugnuts (22-35) 10-0 Friday, while Lansing won 6-3 Saturday after it overcame a two-run deficit in the eighth inning.
West Michigan didn’t waste any time getting those two runs back Sunday - taking a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning.
Lansing hitting coach Mike Micucci said the Lugnuts were not prepared to play and were unable to recover from the runs scored in the first inning.
“Sometimes all it takes is one inning and today that’s what happened in the first couple innings,” Micucci said.
“It took us a couple of innings to get into the game, and we couldn’t make up the difference.”
In the top of the fourth inning, the Lugnuts cut into the Whitecaps’ four-run lead with two runs of their own, when first baseman Blair Barbier (1-for-4) loaded the bases on an infield single, extending his hitting streak to 13 games. The next batter, right fielder Adam Morrisey, plated two runners with a double.
But West Michigan killed Lansing’s rally when Whitecap shortstop Ronnie Merrill made a leaping catch on a hard-hit ball up the middle by third baseman Brandon Sing.
Merrill flipped the ball to second baseman Miguel Peguero for the inning’s final out.
Sing (1-for-4) said the play altered the game’s course.
“That was the turning point of the game,” Sing said. “If that (ball) gets over his head it would have scored two runs and who knows what would have happened after that.”
The Lugnuts threatened in the bottom of the eighth when Barbier was at bat with two outs and men in scoring position, but he grounded out to Whitecap pitcher Mark Woodyard.
Woodyard (6-4) went the distance for the Whitecaps by allowing four hits with five strikeouts and two walks.
Morrisey said the Lugnuts struggled at the plate all afternoon because they couldn’t hit off Woodyard.
“We didn’t swing the bats good today,” said Morrisey (1-for-4), who finished the day with two RBIs. “Their pitcher threw a good game and we couldn’t get a hold of him.”
Renyel Pinto (4-4) recorded the loss for the Lugnuts - allowing five hits in four innings. Pinto also gave up four runs while walking three and striking out three.
The Lugnuts will round out the four-game series with the Whitecaps at 7:05 tonight before starting a four-game home stand against Kansas City on Wednesday.
