Lansing — The Lansing Lugnuts won in thrilling fashion Sunday afternoon over the South Bend Silver Hawks, 1-0.
Lansing shortstop Raul Barron took advantage of a one out, bottom of the ninth, bases-loaded situation and lined the first pitch he saw to left field. The hit scored right- fielder Jonathan Baksh, who had beat out a ground ball to third base for an infield single earlier in the inning.
The dramatic win propelled the Lugnuts to a 32-28 record.
"He's a good, young hitter," Lugnuts manager Gary Cathcart said about Barron. "As a baseball player, you want to be up there in that type of situation."
Lansing relief pitcher Chris Reddout picked up the win, improving to 2-0.
But the Lugnuts would not have been in position for the victory without a strong start from Ray Gonzalez.
Gonzalez pitched six innings, surrendering three hits and one walk, while striking out four.
Gonzalez lowered his ERA to 2.67 with the outing.
"Once he's got a little better command, watch out - because his stuff is really good," Cathcart said.
Relief pitcher Chad Beck took the loss for South Bend after starter Tony Barnette pitched seven innings, striking out five while giving up five hits and three walks.
In the bottom of the seventh, Barnette allowed a ground rule double deep into right-center field by catcher Jonathan Jaspe. Many of the 1,901 fans in attendance, and those sitting on the right-field grass, thought the ball had cleared the railing above the wall for a home run.
But umpires Quinn Wolcott and Dan Oliver ruled the ball went through the railing, which is a ground rule double according to Oldsmobile Park ground rules, originally laid out when the Lugnuts were a Chicago Cubs affiliate.
Jaspe would be left stranded on base, and the game would continue to be in doubt until Barron's single in the bottom of the ninth.
"I can't believe that ball went through the railing like that. I would have to go out (into right field) and throw it through there," Cathcart said about the play.
Jaspe finished with two hits, tied for the most hits by any Lugnut on the day with Baksh and first baseman Matt Lane.
Baksh helped Reddout with spectacular defense in the eighth inning, catching a fly ball off the bat of South Bend first baseman Brad Miller, then sending a throw toward home plate to nail a tagging Tyler Jones - completing a double play to keep the score tied.
The Silver Hawks left 16 runners on base during the game, as Lansing pitchers got out of jams time after time throughout the game.
"All the work the pitching staff does is for those types of situations and getting out of those types of situations. It's a test to see where you're at as a pitcher," Cathcart said.
Starting tonight, the Lugnuts begin a two-game home series with the Dayton Dragons, who are in first place in the Mid-Eastern division of the Midwest League.
Lansing is in third - 5 1/2 games back of the Dragons and three games back of second-place West Michigan. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.
