LANSING, Mich. – Three Lansing Lugnuts (20-8) pitchers combined on a two-hit shutout of the West Michigan Whitecaps (14-5) in a 2-0 victory on Saturday night at Cooley Law School Stadium.
The Lugnuts have yet to lose consecutive games this season, following up a Friday morning loss at Great Lakes with the club’s league-leading seventh shutout.
Aaron Sanchez and Justin Nicolino (Win, 1-0) went four innings apiece for the first time this season and dominated the Whitecaps. Sanchez started and allowed only one hit while striking out four and walking two. Nicolino had nearly an identical line, giving up only one hit and one walk while notching three strikeouts.
Whitecaps starter Kyle Ryan (Loss, 1-2) was nearly as good over seven innings, allowing two runs on seven hits while striking out five and not issuing a walk.
Ajay Meyer (Save, 11) struck out a pair in a perfect ninth inning to earn his Midwest League-leading 11th save of the season.
Only three Whitecaps reached second base all night.
Kenny Wilson went 1-for-3 with a double and scored on Kevin Patterson’s RBI groundout in the fourth inning for the game’s first run.
Markus Brisker drove in the Lugnuts’ second run of the game with a double to cap a 1-for-3 evening.
Right-hander Jesse Hernandez (2-1, 1.07), named by the Toronto Blue Jays as the Lugnuts’ April Player of the Month, will start a 2:05 p.m. Sunday Kids Day against righty Brennan Smith (1-2, 2.21). The game will feature a pregame catch on the field and postgame Kids Run the Bases.